West Saint Paul Loses Power After Texting Driver Hits Utility Pole: Police

A portion of West Saint Paul lost power Tuesday afternoon after a motorist, who was texting while driving, struck a utility pole, according to police. The collision split the pole in half, with the top half pulling the city's power lines down with it.

According to the West Saint Paul police, the motorist was texting and driving at the time of the collision. Authorities posted photos of the incident and the following statement on Facebook:

Hey West St Paul, I don’t think I need to say much about this photo except DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE!! A good portion of WSP is currently without power after this single vehicle accident. PLEASE!! PLEASE!! PLEASE!! Put the phones down!

Police told Patch there were no injuries involved in the crash.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average text takes the driver's eyes off the road long enough to cover 100 yard, or a football field.

In 2015, distracted driving contributed to 74 road deaths in Minnesota.

Images via West Saint Paul Police Department