Yesterday, the tranquility of a Santa Rosa neighborhood was disrupted when a car collision led to a significant power outage, impacting thousands. According to a social media post by the Santa Rosa Police, at around 12:19 PM, a white Tesla struck a PG&E power pole on Piner Road, just east of Marlow Road, causing live electrical lines to tumble into the street. Witnesses immediately called 911 to report the incident, and the errant driver was seen fleeing the scene after he discarded a suspicious bottle.
The aftermath of the crash was extensive, with more than 6,000 customers losing power initially, which translates to nearly 20,000 residents being left in the dark. The Santa Rosa Police Department and Santa Rosa Fire Department were joined by PG&E crews, who managed to get the lights back on for all but 300 customers by 1:05 PM; however, Piner Road remained shuttered until the evening to facilitate urgent repairs, with lines of yellow tape and high-vis-jacketed figures casting a scene of controlled urgency.
Anthony Turnbull, a 46-year-old resident of Santa Rosa, was identified by authorities as the driver. An officer found Turnbull and an almost-empty bottle of Fireball whisky near the collision site; subsequent investigation revealed that he was over the legal alcohol limit at the time of the accident. Turnbull, who had a previous DUI conviction in 2021, was arrested and taken into custody, facing fresh felony DUI charges.
