South Tahoe teen survives plowing into power pole

By Kathryn Reed

By the looks of the 4Runner it is surprising the driver was released hours after striking a telephone pole on Pioneer Trail and being hauled to Barton Memorial Hospital.

The name of the male teen driver was not being released Tuesday night by South Lake Tahoe police officers. The vehicle had 2010 painted on the driver’s side and Tahoe ICE in the back window.

A single-vehicle accident Tuseday evening leaves one injured and power lines strewn across Pioneer Trail. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Pioneer Trail east of Ski Run Boulevard was closed off just past 5pm Tuesday after the single car accident knocked out the power pole that broke at the bottom and sent wires across all lanes of traffic.

Officers after 10pm said the driver, who was the lone person in the vehicle, was released from the hospital. An officer said the teen driver, a student at South Tahoe High School, might have fallen asleep. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be a factor in the accident.

Marty Scheuerman, division chief with South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, said witnesses told officials they saw the driver heading toward Meyers, swerve into the other lane, hit the pole, and spin around. The vehicle landed off the edge of the road facing the direction it had come from.

No brake marks are visible.

Joel Kuntz, a journeyman lineman with NV Energy, said six customers were without power after the 5:10pm accident.

He and his colleagues worked to clear the area of debris and danger. For the time being power is being routed on a temporary secondary line. On Saturday, most likely, NV crews will be back – which means traffic controls – while a new pole is erected and the lines are installed to a permanent position.