Accident knocks out power pole; driver arrested for OWI

A car accident involving an allegedly intoxicated driver Jan. 12 on Wisconsin 29 near Sleepy Hollow Road caused the highway to be closed for about 90 minutes and a power outage for residents in the area.

According to the report from the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department, the driver, 19-year-old Luis Martin Munoz Meza of Kewaunee, was eastbound on 29 in a 2003 Honda Accord when he went off the road and struck a power pole at about 8:55 p.m., causing the loss of power. The road was closed because of low-lying power lines that needed to be repaired by Wisconsin Public Service.

Meza said he was closely following another car that slowed to make a left turn and put on its turn signal, the report said. Meza attempted to pass the slowing car on the right shoulder of the highway, but while the road was dry, the shoulder was covered with snow and ice and sent Meza off the road and into a ditch, striking the power pole and breaking it at its base. The sheriff’s deputy who responded to the accident found the car against the pole in the ditch.

Meza, the only occupant of the car, had minor injuries but was arrested and charged with operating while intoxicated (second offense) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was issued six citations, for OWI (second offense), driving with a revoked license, driving an unregistered vehicle, failure to keep vehicle under control, driving without proof of insurance, and unsafe passing. Blood test results are pending.

Assistance was provided by Luxemburg Fire and Rescue, Wisconsin State Patrol and the Door County Sheriff’s Department, as well as WPS.

This article originally appeared on Wisconsin: Accident knocks out power pole; driver arrested for OWI