A 20-year-old Elberta, Alabama, man was critically injured Wednesday evening after his pickup truck ran off a rural road in Escambia County, Florida, and crashed into a power pole, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash happened around 7:05 p.m. on Bauer Road, south of U.S. Highway 98, troopers said. Escambia County Fire Rescue and EMS crews responded to the scene.
Florida Highway Patrol says the driver ran off the roadway while traveling on Bauer Road and struck the pole, causing him to be ejected from the truck. He was transported to a hospital with critical injuries.
Road Closed for Downed Line, Fire Hazard
The impact knocked down the power pole, leaving a live wire in the roadway and creating a fire hazard, FHP said. Bauer Road was blocked off in the area for repair work, and troopers said the closure was expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future while crews addressed the downed line.
The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the exact circumstances that led the truck to leave the roadway. No further details on the driver’s condition or the crash investigation have been released.
Single-vehicle crashes involving utility poles often cause secondary hazards beyond the initial collision, including power outages and fire risk from exposed lines, which is why emergency crews frequently close affected roadways until utility repair teams can safely clear the scene.