The rural quiet of ‘Oma‘o exploded with the sound of screeching tires, followed by the sound of car meeting utility pole, late Saturday night. The power went out immediately, and residents along ‘Oma‘o Road scrambled for flashlights to secure family
The rural quiet of ‘Oma‘o exploded with the sound of screeching tires, followed by the sound of car meeting utility pole, late Saturday night.
The power went out immediately, and residents along ‘Oma‘o Road scrambled for flashlights to secure family members and check on the damage outside, said Christopher Becker, a resident on ‘Oma‘o Road.
About a half mile up from the road’s intersection with Koloa Road is a curve on the 25 mph street where people routinely exceed that limit, Becker said.
And while official reports were not available yesterday from the Kaua‘i Police Department, Becker said police told him later that the driver and perhaps other occupants had fled the scene.
It was not known yesterday whether or not the driver or any of the occupants had been caught, questioned or identified, though some of Becker’s neighbors witnessed the rapid departure of at least two people, running toward Kaumuali‘i Highway at the other end of ‘Oma‘o Road.
From inside the Becker residence, the sound of a car skidding out of control for what seemed like several seconds gave way to the sound of car hitting pole, followed by instant power outage, he said.
Becker was quick to credit the KIUC crew who, working in the rain throughout the night, installed a new pole and restored power to the neighborhood by sunrise.
Car met pole almost exactly at 11 p.m. Saturday, he said.
A KIUC spokesperson said a combined effort of KIUC and Verizon personnel joined forces to make the quick repairs. Between 20 and 30 KIUC members were without power overnight.
