Workers were busy Thursday morning repairing power lines following an accident late Wednesday afternoon involving a severely impaired driver. The steel pole at left was snapped from its base and was left dangling by wires when the southbound driver hit it at a high speed. (Richard McGuire photo)

A 47-year-old Osoyoos man, severely impaired by alcohol, struck a power pole late Wednesday afternoon next to the Osoyoos Baptist Church, causing a brief power outage.

Osoyoos RCMP, who didn’t name the accused, said this is not the man’s first impaired driving incident and his vehicle was equipped with an impaired driving interlock device.

A witness at the scene reported seeing the vehicle, a 2007 Chevrolet LS, travelling southbound at a high rate of speed just after 5 p.m., RCMP said.

The driver lost control and slammed into the power pole, which was severed at its base. The pole leaned over the vehicle, but remained suspended above, only being held up by the utility lines.

Due to the danger the damaged pole posed to emergency personnel and the passing public, Highway 97 was closed to traffic in both directions.

It was reopened at around 8 p.m. after the pole was secured.

The driver, who was the lone vehicle occupant, displayed significant signs of impairment and was taken to hospital for assessment before being released to the RCMP.

He later provided breath samples showing a blood alcohol concentration two and a half times over the legal limit.

He now faces another criminal code impaired driving charge.

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Workers were busy Thursday morning repairing power lines following an accident late Wednesday afternoon involving a severely impaired driver. The steel pole at left was snapped from its base and was left dangling by wires when the southbound driver hit it at a high speed. (Richard McGuire photo)