Semi downs utility line in Jefferson City, causes power outage

A semi truck crashed into a utility pole at the intersection of West Miller and Mulberry streets in Jefferson City around 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 18, 2017.
A semi truck crashed into a utility pole at the intersection of West Miller and Mulberry streets in Jefferson City around 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 18, 2017.

No injuries were reported after a semi-truck pulled down utility lines Friday morning near downtown Jefferson City.

According to police reports, at 10:06 a.m., officers responded to the crash in the 500 block of Mulberry Street, near West Miller Street.

The truck driver, William Griesbach, 58, of Lawrence, Kansas, was pulling a trailer loaded with bed mattresses and became entangled in electrical power lines, while attempting to back into Schroeder Way.  Several power poles and lines were bent and broken as a result of this incident.

Area residents and businesses lost power in the area. This section of Mulberry was closed for an extended period of time while crews worked to restore power and repair poles and lines. 

Ameren UE, Century Link, the Jefferson City Fire Department, Cole County EMS and the Department of Natural Resources all responded.

EARLIER COVERAGE

As of about 11:50 a.m. Friday, power has been restored to the nearly 1,200 Ameren Missouri customers who had lost service as a result of a semi-truck accident.

The incident took down one utility pole and left four others leaning Friday morning in Jefferson City.

The incident occurred just after 10 a.m. in the area of West Miller and Mulberry streets.

As of about 10:30 a.m., a live utility line was down on top of the truck and the driver was still inside.

Utility and fire crews were on the scene just a few minutes after the accident occurred.

Traffic signals in the area were knocked out of service due of the power outage.