A driver in an SUV knocked down power lines and caused the closure of a North County road Thursday, officials said.
Just before 6:30 a.m., a person driving a black Toyota 4-Runner came around a corner on W. Via Rancho Parkway and somehow lost control, ramming into a wooden power pole and snapping it in two at Del Dios Highway, south of Escondido and west of Interstate 15.
The pole and downed lines blocked both lanes of traffic on the parkway.
A SigAlert was issued, and hundreds of vehicles had turn around as California Highway Patrol redirected them to Interstate 15.
SDG&E crews called in to repair the power lines estimate the route will be closed all day. They will have to dig another hole to plant a new pole and reattach the power lines, lifting them off the road.
SDG&E officials say they are redirecting power from a different area so homes nearby do not lose electricity.
