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Friday Crash Disrupts City's Power, Traffic
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An early Friday morning crash along Highway 120 near Mitchell Avenue resulted in the loss of power to many parts of the community as well as a lengthy traffic detour around the heavily traveled area.

Escalon Police received a report of a semi truck vs. a power pole shortly before 5:30 a.m. on July 15.

The crash occurred on a corner along Highway 120 near the O'Reilly Auto Parts and Escalon Bait and Tackle complex and across the street from the Highway 120 car wash.

Police said the driver, a 30-year-old man from San Jose, escaped injury despite having extensive damage to the front of the rig and partially crushing the trailer. He admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, added police, but the accident remains under investigation and no citations had been issued as of presstime.

The rig was loaded with 40,000 pounds of bark and crews came in to offload the truck to make it easier to upright, with the roadway shut down for several hours while the operation occurred.

Traffic was detoured from Highway 120 to side streets in town around the accident scene.

Police also report receiving a business alarm from the city's Corporation Yard on Main Street at 5:29 a.m. - determined to be caused by the power outage - and extra patrol was requested just before 7:30 a.m. on Edmart due to speeding vehicles on the detour route in the area of Edmart and Fourth.

Escalon firefighters also responded to the scene to assist and police said it took several hours for the clean up and removal of the truck and replacing of the power pole, with the scene cleared at about 1:30 p.m. Friday.

That was the first in a series of auto-related incidents over the busy Park Fete weekend.

On Saturday morning, police received a transfer of a call originally made to the CHP of a vehicle with front end damage stopped in the 1400 block of Highway 120 with a female driver appearing to be crying inside. Upon further investigation, police determined that she had been involved in a prior property damage accident and the 40-year-old Manteca woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and driving on a suspended license. She was booked at San Joaquin County Jail following the arrest, which occurred just after 5:30 a.m.

Later on Saturday, police responded to a pair of crashes, a non-injury two vehicle collision at Third and Coley about 11 a.m. on July 16 and then a non-injury rear end collision involving two vehicles at Highway 120 and Walnut at 11:53 a.m.

Wrapping up the weekend on Sunday, July 17 at about 8:20 p.m., police received a report of a possible intoxicated driver westbound on Highway 120. Officers located the vehicle in the 2500 block of Jackson and, following an investigation, subsequently arrested a 23-year-old San Jose man on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was released on a citation to relatives on the scene.