By Hayley Gastmeier
A young Masterton woman had a miracle escape after ploughing her car into a power pole east of Masterton yesterday.
Police said the woman, in her early 20s, emerged mostly unscathed after narrowly missing a logging truck on Te Wharau Rd before taking down the wooden power pole just before 11am.
The pole broke into three pieces and Powerco said about 176 Gladstone properties lost electricity following the crash. Power was restored about 4.30pm.
Acting traffic sergeant Clint Rogers said it was likely “some form of charges” would be laid but police would know more once they had conducted interviews.
Mr Rogers praised the McCarthy Transport truck driver, who was shakened by the incident.
The truck driver had been travelling towards the coast with an unladen logging truck.
“The [other] vehicle has come around the corner on the wrong side of the road,” Mr Rogers said.
“The truck driver has done a fantastic job of taking evasive action.
“You can see the skid marks of where he’s swerved into the incorrect lane to avoid the vehicle on the wrong side of the road, and obviously preventing what would have possibly been a very nasty head-on crash.”
Mr Rogers said the west-bound SUV had hit the back corner of the truck, before skidding off the road to the right, then taking out a stretch of fence and bringing down the powerlines.
“Injuries-wise there was nothing of concern, there was a very, very lucky driver.”
“We haven’t yet been able to talk to the truck driver because obviously he’s a bit shaken up so we want to give him a bit of time to calm his nerves.
“Luckily the truck wasn’t laden, because if it was then that would’ve been a different story.”
Both drivers were examined by paramedics at the scene.
Masterton Fire Service and Carterton Fire Brigade attended the crash. The Westpac Life Flight helicopter was deployed but was not used.
