A Greenwood man was arrested early Friday morning after a crash that injured three people, caused a widespread power outage and shut down a busy intersection overnight.
Jack L. Cridlin, 20, was arrested on a charge of operating while intoxicated.
A sheriff’s deputy clocked Cridlin’s truck at 85 mph in a 50 mph zone just before the crash, according to a Franklin Police Department report.
The deputy, who was northbound on U.S. 31, was turning around to pull Cridlin over when the crash occurred, according to the report.
A witness saw Cridlin’s truck speed south through the Commerce Drive intersection as the traffic light switched to red from yellow, the report said.
A second vehicle that had the right of way collided with Cridlin’s truck, a witness told police.
Cridlin’s truck hit a metal utility pole at the intersection, and the impact brought down traffic signals that were strung from it. His truck also hit a wooden utility pole about 50 feet away from the first, according to the report.
The crash shut down the intersection from the time of the crash about 9:40 p.m. Thursday until about 7:20 a.m. Friday. The road closure was lengthy because the Indiana Department of Transportation had to repair the stoplight.
Power was restored to nearby homes and businesses about 11:15 p.m. Thursday.
The arresting officer could smell alcohol on Cridlin’s breath, according to the report.
An elderly couple was treated at the scene for minor injuries and Cridlin was taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital for treatment of an injury, the report said.
Cridlin was released from the hospital Friday and taken to the Johnson County jail where he is being held on $2,000 bond.
