KAILUA-KONA — About 50 people lost power Tuesday morning after a vehicle crashed into a utility pole in Waimea.
No injuries were reported following the wreck that occurred between 6:35 and 6:40 a.m. at the intersection of Kamamalu Street and Mamalahoa Highway fronting Big Island Brewhaus, police said.
A gray sport utility vehicle apparently ran off the north side of the roadway and struck a utility pole causing it to break at its base and lean over Big Island Brewhaus. The driver was uninjured, police said. No citation was issued.
Big Island Brewhaus owner Tom Kern said employees had yet to arrive at the restaurant at the time of the crash.
“Fortunately, no one was inside and fortunately the power pole just stayed upright and nothing hit the building,” Kerns said.
Hawaii Electric Light Co. spokeswoman Rhea Moku-Lee said 50 customers lost power as a result of the wreck. All but 10 had been restored electricity as of 8:45 a.m. By noon, power had been restored to all customers and HELCO was finishing work at the site.
Kern said the business would open at 3 p.m. Tuesday instead of its usual 11 a.m. because of the incident.