Accident involving electric pole results in DUI charge

An accident that happened Christmas Eve morning involving an electric pole resulted in one of the drivers being charged with driving under the influence, according to Sallisaw Police.

Officer Jeffrey Craghead reported the accident happened at 9:32 a.m. at the intersection of N. Dogwood Street and E. Cherokee Ave.

Craghead said Jason W. Holmes, 43, of Coweta, was stopped in the outside lane of Highway 64 (E. Cherokee Ave.) behind another vehicle at the intersection of N. Dogwood St. when a vehicle driven by Shane T. Svendsen, 32, of Sallisaw, was approaching Holmes’ vehicles in the outside lane.

Holmes told authorities Svendson was allegedly approaching at a high rate of speed and departed the roadway to the right after striking the rear passenger side taillamp and bumper of his vehicle.

According to the accident report, Svendsen’s vehicle then travelled around 142 feet of the roadway into a ditch before striking a City of Sallisaw electric pole.

Svendsen was transported to the NHS Sequoyah Hospital emergency room and following further in- terview, it was deemed he was possibly intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Craghead reported Svendsen submitted to a state blood test and was issued a citation for driving under the influence of an intoxicating substance (drugs), which is a criminal misdemeanor charge.