Driver who hit pole, knocking power out, charged with DUI

WOONSOCKET, R.I. – A Massachusetts driver who hit a telephone pole with his pickup truck in Rhode Island, knocking out power for thousands, has been charged with DUI.

The Providence Journal reports 42-year-old Brian Magnussen, of Norfolk, has also been charged with operating a vehicle without evidence of insurance.

The outage on Friday trapped a family in a vehicle under a downed power line, and affected 10,000 National Grid customers in Rhode Island. The woman and her children were able to drive off when police shut down power to the area.

Police say Magnussen’s blood-alcohol content was twice the legal limit of 0.08 per cent.

A working number for Magnussen could not be located.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com