Ameren customers lose power after vehicle hits utility pole

Ameren Missouri's outage map is now showing power has been restored to 124 Jefferson City customers who lost electricity Wednesday morning after a vehicle hit a utility pole near the 1600 block of Industrial Drive.

City police report a Ford Escape driven by Tarance McDonald, 31, of Jefferson City, experienced a mechanical issue as it was traveling in the 200 block of Argonne Street, north of Industrial. That caused the car to travel off the roadway and strike the pole shortly before 6 a.m.

The pole was broken in half, and live wires fell to the ground. McDonald's car sustained major damage but he was unhurt, police said.

Emergency and utility crews responded. Ameren indicated power was restored sometime before 9:05 a.m.