DOWAGIAC — Dowagiac Public Safety Director Steven Grinnewald reports that on Saturday at approximately 4 p.m., officers of the Dowagiac Police Department as well as members of the Dowagiac Fire Department were notified of a traffic accident occurring near the intersection of N. Paul Street and Marion Street in the city of Dowagiac. It was reported to police and fire personnel that there was a utility pole on one of the vehicles, potentially with live electric wires on the vehicle.

Emergency crews arrived on scene and determined that there were no injuries. Emergency personnel found one vehicle that had electric lines lying on it while still occupied by three people. The City of Dowagiac Public Services electric crews were called to the scene and assisted in making the scene safe. The occupants were then safely assisted from their vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle was already out of his vehicle when personnel arrived on scene.

Once the scene had been made safe, officers investigated the crash. It was determined that a black Chevrolet pickup truck had been northbound on N. Paul Street. The pickup truck stopped for traffic at the intersection with Marion Street to conduct a left turn. While waiting to do so the driver of a second vehicle, a white Buick, did not realize the pickup was stopped in traffic. The driver of the Buick was unable to stop in time and veered to the right, striking a utility pole, causing it to break and collapse on the pickup truck.

The occupants of the pickup truck, all residents of Dowagiac, were uninjured. The driver of the Buick, a 30-year-old resident of Decatur, was uninjured as well. He was subsequently arrested for misdemeanor traffic offenses and lodged at the Cass County Jail.

Emergency personnel were assisted at the scene by Pride Care EMS as well as members of the Wayne Township Fire Department.