Updated April 19, 2010

A motor vehicle accident created a power outage for 3,400 residences in the East neighborhood Friday around 3 a.m., said Karen Young, a media spokeswoman at National Grid.

Power went out after a 2005 GMC Envoy, operated by Gregory Davis, 22, of Syracuse, crashed into the side of a house at 520 E. Brighton Ave. and broke a nearby utility pole, said Syracuse police Sgt. Gary Bulinski.

By 4:30 a.m., approximately 3,000 homes had power again after National Grid switched them to a different power line, Young said. All but 30 residences had power back by 9:30 a.m. After National Grid repaired the fallen utility pole, the remaining homes had power around 10:30 a.m., Young said.

The broken utility pole interrupted the flow of electricity in the area between Comstock and East Brighton avenues, Young said.

The driver may have been intoxicated, Bulinski said, but that will be determined by further investigation.

Police originally received a call from a Sonoco clerk alerting them to a suspicious man by the gas station on East Brighton Avenue, Bulinski said.

When a policeman arrived at the scene and approached Davis, he ran to his car and fled the scene, Bulinski said. The officer got back in his car but lost Davis once he drove away, he said.

“There was no car chase,” he said.

The officer found Davis later that night, Bulinski said. Once Davis saw the officer he sped up, lost control of his car, swerved to the left and crashed into the home of Bob Johnson, Bulinski said.

After crashing, Davis tried to flee the scene again, Bulinski said.

“The guy got out and ran and was caught behind the house,” he said.

Davis suffered lacerations as a result of the crash, and a Rural/Metro ambulance transported him to Crouse Hospital for treatment, Bulinski said.

Charges against Davis are still pending, while crash investigations and reconstruction to the house are underway, Bulinski said.

Published on April 16, 2010 at 12:00 pm