Suspected drunk driver hits utility pole, causing power outage

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A woman suspected of driving while intoxicated struck a power pole with her vehicle Monday in Gardena, causing a power outage to 1,205 electric company customers, police said on Tuesday.

Adrienne Lynette Barre, 33 of Los Angeles, allegedly crashed into the power pole with her sports utility vehicle, knocking it down, police said. There were two children in the vehicle, a boy age 11 in the front passenger seat, and a girl, age 9, in the rear seat. Neither child , nor Barre, was hurt in the crash.

A woman suspected of driving while intoxicated struck a power pole with her vehicle Monday in Gardena, causing a power outage to 1,205 electric company customers, police said on Tuesday.

Adrienne Lynette Barre, 33 of Los Angeles, allegedly crashed into the power pole with her sports utility vehicle, knocking it down, police said. There were two children in the vehicle, a boy age 11 in the front passenger seat, and a girl, age 9, in the rear seat. Neither child , nor Barre, was hurt in the crash.

Barre was booked and jailed by Gardena police on suspicion of drunken driving, driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or higher, and child endangerment, Gardena police Lt. Steve Prendergast was quoted saying in a Daily Breeze article.

Barre’s children were placed with a grandmother.

The crash happened at 10:10 p.m. Monday. Police said Barre was driving her 1995 Chevrolet Suburban went on 135th Street, near Normandie Avenue. She then veered and crashed into the curb, hitting the pole and utility box, according to the Breeze article.

Power affected an area of Gardena between El Segundo Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue, north and south, and from Vermont Avenue to St. Andrews Place, going east and west, a Southern California Edison spokesperson told the Breeze. Most customers had restored power by 11:45 p.m., while customers on Normandie Avenue from 133rd to 137th streets did not regain power until Tuesday.

The article added that Barre has a state identification cared with the California Department of Motor Vehicle, but not a license to drive.