Motorist Hits Pole, Puts Homes in Dark

A driver who lost control of his Jeep caused a power failure that affected thousands of residents, commuters and business owners in south Orange County, authorities said Thursday.

Stephen Singleton, 29, of Laguna Niguel crashed the vehicle into an 85-foot utility pole at Duryea Drive and Rockfield Boulevard in Lake Forest, knocking it over, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said. He was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and taken to Orange County Jail.

The accident at 6 p.m. Wednesday disabled traffic lights at major intersections in the area for more than 12 hours, creating traffic backups and blocking access to many local businesses, Sheriff’s Lt. Collin Murphy said.

“It was amazing,” Murphy said. “It was rush hour, and it happened at the busiest intersections. . . . Thousands were affected.”

Electricity also was out in a square-mile area of Lake Forest that has about 1,900 residents, he said.

At La Familia Avila restaurant on Muirlands Boulevard, guests were eating dinner when the lights went out.

“We had customers sitting here who had to leave,” said assistant manager Patti Schichtel. “We couldn’t let them pay because the register wasn’t working.”

The restaurant lost several thousand dollars, she estimated.

“I can’t believe it closed everybody out like that,” Schichtel said. “7-Eleven was closed, and they’re never closed. Not even for Christmas.”

Deputies were dispatched to direct traffic in the area of Lake Forest Drive and El Toro Road. Rockfield was closed between El Toro Road and Ridge Route Drive while utilities workers stabilized and rewired the downed pole.

Full power was restored about 1 p.m. Thursday, said Frank Wasko, a spokesman for Southern California Edison.