BREAKING

Chemawa Road cleared after accident downed power lines

PGE Works to restore power after a vehicle accident resulted in downed power lines near Chemawa Road NE and Chetco Court NE. (CHARLES GLENN/KEIZERTIMES)

According to Keizer Police Lt. Andrew Wenning, a Chevrolet Tahoe swerved off Chemawa Road Friday, Sept. 2 around 11 a.m., knocking down an electrical pole and causing the power to be turned off in the area while PGE crews work to assess the damage and do repairs.

The accident occurred near the intersection of Chemawa Road and Chetco Court NE, and Chemawa Road is closed to traffic from Kinglet Way NE to McLeod Lane NE. Both Keizer Police and Keizer Fire Department responded to the scene. There are no fatalities or serious injuries reported at this time.

Wenning said the accident resulted from a distracted driver who swerved sharply to avoid colliding with a vehicle it was following, which had stopped suddenly. He said there is so far no evidence of a crime.

There are currently more than 15 PGE employees on site, working to assess the damage and restore power.

9/2/22 – 6:30 p.m. Chemawa Road is now open while crews continue working to restore power. Keizer Fire District is providing updates on their Facebook page. These photos were posted by KFD earlier today:

Courtesy Keizer Fire District
Courtesy Keizer Fire District