This alleged driver was placed under arrest and taken to hospital with unspecified injuries. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

arrested

‘It’s shocking:’ erratic driver arrested after plowing through Nanaimo power pole

Aug 2, 2024 | 1:55 PM

NANAIMO — A local contractor was driving in central Nanaimo when it became immediately clear trouble was brewing behind him.

On Friday, Aug. 2 shortly after 12 p.m. Tim Drummond-Hay was proceeding east on Jingle Pot Rd. toward the Diver Lake area when he noticed a man in his rear view mirror swerving close behind his truck.

The Good Samaritan said seconds later the motorist appeared to speed up in a bid to apparently try to pass him on the single-lane road’s right side.

That’s when the driver crashed through a wooden utility pole near Elmwood Dr.

“I went over to see if anybody needed help and then he was going to leave the scene and obviously that’s not okay, so me and this police officer off duty stopped him from leaving and waited for the police to come.”

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Traffic and power disruptions resulted from a single vehicle crash on Jingle Pot Rd. in the Diver Lake area on Friday, Aug. 2. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Drummond-Hay said the driver only managed to get about 50 feet from his wrecked car when he was apprehended without incident.

He said it was extremely disappointing seeing the driver try to get away.

“If you’re gonna have a mistake you have to wear it, right?”

The incident toppled a hydro pole, shutting off power to more than 2,500 BC Hydro customers for several hours in a widespread area (Diver Lake/Brannen Lake and North Jingle Pot) during a heat warning with the temperature nearing 30 degrees.

Drummond-Hay’s truck is outfitted with a rear-view camera, which captured the entire incident to assist police.

The suspect driver, yelling in pain from the back of a police cruiser, was slowly positioned onto a stretcher board.

He’s estimated to be between 25 and 30-years-old.

“It’s shocking, I mean that little car to take out that pole at the speeds he was doing and stuff it’s just so reckless, so reckless. Someone could’ve died, it’s just really bad,” Drummond-Hay said.

The driver was the lone occupant of the car, which came to rest after punching through a chain-linked fence of a Jingle Pot Rd. property.

Along with Nanaimo RCMP, Nanaimo Fire Rescue and BC Emergency Health Services paramedics also attended.

A substantial power outage incovenienced a widespread area of Nanaimo following a crash. (BC Hydro)

Several area witnesses reported hearing loud crash with the power quickly knocking out after a disturbing single vehicle crash on Nanaimo’s Jingle Pot. Rd. in the Diver Lake area. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes