Man Injured, Power LInes Down After Solo-Car Crash on Silverado Trail

A man was transported to the hospital today after the silver Ford Mustang he was driving careened into a power pole at high speed, splintering the pole sideways and landing in an adjacent vineyard,

"It just sheared the power pole," said Cal Fire Napa County Engineer Jesse Campbell of Station 12 in Yountville of the 4 p.m. crash on Silverado Trail north of Skellenger Lane. "There were 400 yards of high voltage lines that came toppling down."

Campbell said the driver was out of the car, standing, when firefighters arrived. He did not appear to have sustained major injuries, Campbell said, although he may have been in shock.

The man's name was not immediately available.

"It's amazing what people can walk away from," Campbell said. Engine 26 from Cal Fire Napa County St. Helena also responded to the scene, as did the California Highway Patrol and Napa County Sheriff's deputies.

Campbell said he had no word on what caused the crash or in which direction the Mustang was traveling when it occurred. The incident is under investigation by the CHP, he said.

Silverado Trail was blocked off in both directions to make sure no one had contact with the downed wires. Cars were rerouted on Skellenger Lane. It was not immediately clear if surrounding neighbors had lost power.

PG&E crews were at the scene, and power was turned off at the power pole, Campbell said. A Napa County roads crew was also expected to arrive to help in the cleanup.

"It's standard protocol -- even if the power is turned off, we still treat it as live," Campbell said.

It was the second accident in two days at the same general location. Campbell said he also responded to Sunday's crash on Silverado Trail north of Skellenger Lane, where firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to extricate a driver.

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