Residents, restaurants, other businesses in dark after hit-and-run crash cuts power

An estimated 20 residences and six businesses were left without power when a crash on McHenry Avenue sheared a pole and brought down wires Monday night.

As the 8 a.m. hour neared Tuesday, just one lane of northbound traffic on McHenry Avenue remained closed at Bowen Avenue.

Modesto Irrigation District crews worked the scene throughout the night, said MID spokeswoman Melissa Williams.

“Our crews are working as quickly as possible,” Williams said. “... Sometimes we’re able to reroute power, but this was a pretty severe one, with the pole and lines down.”

Power was restored at about 11 a.m., she said.

The crash happened about 10:30 p.m. Monday. The driver of a moving truck struck the pole and fled the scene, said Modesto Police Department Lt. Martha Delgado.

Residents of the Cameron Villa Apartments on nearby Mark Randy Place talked in the China Express restaurant parking lot Tuesday morning about what they heard and saw.

Keith Corn said there was a “sonic boom” when the truck hit the pole and also took out a bus bench on the sidewalk. The momentum of the vehicle dragged the pole and wires many yards along northbound McHenry, he and others said.

Emergency responders moved everyone out of the area because of downed lines and water on the ground, Corn said.

Those who live in Cameron Villa said another small complex on Mark Randy Place, the Rose Garden Apartments, also lost its electricity.

A few restaurants — Velvet Grill & Creamery, China Express and Super Gyros — and other businesses also remained dark Tuesday morning. Velvet Grill had a note on its door saying it was temporarily closed by the power loss.

This story was originally published October 17, 2017 at 6:58 AM with the headline "Residents, restaurants, other businesses in dark after hit-and-run crash cuts power."