Vehicle crash near Goshen substation cuts power to several thousand homes in Shelley area

UPDATE – According to the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the individual driving the vehicle that hit the transmission was not under the influence of any alcohol or drug at the time of the accident. Only one individual was in the vehicle at the time of the accident. No further information was given.

GOSHEN – A vehicle traveling south along Sugar Factory Road (900 East) hit a pole to the transmission line serving parts of the northern Bingham County and southern Bonneville County areas at about 2:17 a.m. knocking out power for several hours to Shelley and the surrounding area.

At approximately 2:17 a.m. this morning, August 22, a vehicle traveling south on 900 East crossed over the line, hitting a transmission line’s pole, cutting power to Shelley and the surrounding area.  The power in Shelley was off for one hour and thirty-eight minutes before Rocky Mountain crews could restore power by rerouting services around the downed transmission line. 

The crash occurred about one-quarter of a mile north of Goshen Road (800 North). 

“We heard a loud explosion and saw the flashes of light arcing down the line,” an unidentified neighbor told Community Pioneer.  They came out of their home to assess what damage the downed transmission lines had done.  The lines were dangling along their front yard and several feet from their vehicles.  The line laid tight against the underside of their mailbox.

A Rocky Mountain technician walked the line with his flashlight assessing the damage while the Firth Rural Fire Department and Bingham County Sheriff Deputies secured the area. 

The number of occupants in the vehicle besides the driver is unknown.  However, a sheriff’s deputy said there were no serious injuries.