A Costa Mesa intersection was left in darkness Friday night after an accused drunk driver crashed into a utility pole, knocking out power to the area and damaging critical traffic infrastructure, according to the Costa Mesa Police Department.
Around 10:10 p.m., police officers near Newport Boulevard and Wilson Street reported hearing a loud noise resembling a blown transformer, quickly discovering a vehicle had sheared a Southern California Edison power pole. The high-impact collision caused live power lines to collapse onto the city traffic signal pole, instantly disabling the intersection’s traffic lights and forcing an immediate emergency closure of the roadway.
Upon approaching the vehicle, officers contacted the driver, identified as 40-year-old Agustin Esquivel Garcia of Ontario, California, and immediately noticed clear signs of physical impairment…