Teen Injured When Car Hits Power Pole
A Santa Paula teenager was seriously injured Tuesday night after his car veered off Foothill Road and slammed into a power pole, temporarily knocking out electricity for more than 600 residents.
Matthew Brookes, 17, was taken to Simi Valley Hospital for treatment of compound fractures to both legs. Medical staff would not provide an update on his condition Wednesday.
California Highway Patrol authorities said they are not sure why Brookes’ 1986 Audi veered off the road but believe that alcohol was not a factor.
It took rescue workers from 8:45 p.m. until 11:15 p.m. to remove Brookes from the car to avoid further damaging his seriously injured legs.
Power was knocked out for 623 residents when Brookes hit the power pole on Foothill Road west of Cummings Road, Southern California Edison officials said.
The initial outage lasted only about a minute, but Edison crews had to shut down circuits to make repairs 1 1/2 hours after the accident, leaving about 60 people without electricity until 11:30 p.m., said spokesman Tom Boyd.
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