Connecticut Injury Attorney Blog

A collision Sunday night between a 24-foot box truck and a series of telephone poles in Waterbury, Connecticut caused a power outage that lasted into Monday and forced the closure of a nearby elementary school. The truck was reportedly turning onto Dikeman street at about 6:40 p.m. when the side of the truck struck a telephone pole. When that pole fell, wire tension pulled down two more poles. The driver reportedly then continued driving, turning onto Willard Street and striking another pole with the side of the truck. That pole pulled down two more poles when it fell. In all, the truck caused six telephone poles to fall. Police found the driver on nearby Ward Street, where he had parked the truck. There is no indication that anyone was injured.

According to Connecticut Light & Power, about 170 of its customers in the area were without power after the accident. Walsh Elementary School, located on Dikeman Street, had to remain closed Monday because of the power outage. Power was reportedly restored by the end of the day Monday.

The driver, a 33 year-old Waterbury resident, has been charged with several alleged criminal offenses, including "evading responsibility." This refers to leaving the scene of an accident that causes injury or property damage without rendering assistance and providing contact information. It only applies to people directly involved in the accident. Connecticut law treats this offense very seriously, imposing a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment of one to ten years if convicted.

The media have not reported on any specific cause of the accident, so it is not known if it was driver error, weather conditions, mechanical failure, or some other reason. The driver, or the driver's employer, could potentially face civil liability for damages caused by the accident. News reports indicate the driver did not own the truck involved in the accident. If it belonged to an employer, and the accident occurred while the driver was performing duties for the employer, then that employer may be held liable for the negligence of its employee.

The main question for an attorney to consider in this sort of case is who may bring a claim for damages. The most obvious damage is to the six downed telephone poles, a claim likely belonging to the city or other local government. Further damages did occur, however, as a result of the downed poles, in the power outage. Could the driver or his employer be held liable for damages resulting from the power outage?