A Pottsville man drove a sport utility vehicle onto a city sidewalk, knocked down a decorative light pole and damaged property including a brick wall bordering a parking lot Wednesday afternoon.
City police are investigating the circumstances of the crash, Patrolman Joseph Murton said at the scene. He said he would not release the name of the driver until the investigation was complete.
The crash occurred at 1:11 p.m., according to a supervisor at the Schuylkill County Communications Center, Pottsville.
The Pottsville man was driving a black Isuzu Rodeo V6 LS southbound on Centre Street when he swerved to the right, over the row of one-hour parking spaces and onto the sidewalk.
His vehicle hit a green light pole outside the vacant storefront at 17 N. Centre St. It sheared the pole just above its base. The lamp globe fell off the top of the pole and smashed on the sidewalk.
The vehicle continued south with the lamp pole leaning on its front hood. The vehicle scratched a sign and cracked a brick wall at a customer parking lot for Towne Drugs.
The SUV came to rest in front of the parking lot in front of Susquehanna Bank at 9 N. Centre St.
"Thank God nobody got hurt. Look where the pole landed. It's good nobody was walking by," said city fire Chief Todd March.
Carmen A. DiCello, co-owner of Towne Drugs, said he hoped the driver has insurance.
The light pole is owned by PPL, according to Daniel E. Kelly, city superintendent of streets, who was on scene.
"We will report that to PPL. They'll fix it and the owner of the vehicle will get billed," City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said Wednesday.
The city had decorated that light pole with two hanging flower baskets, Palamar said.
"If those are damaged, we'll include that as part of the bill," Palamar said.
The black Isuzu Rodeo was towed and the scene was cleared at 1:50 p.m., according to the communications supervisor.