A 35-year-old East Bremerton man driving a red minivan struck a power pole on Paulson Road in Poulsbo at about 5:30 p.m. June 2. A Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputy arrived and found the pole was sheared approximately 3 or 4 feet from the ground, the vehicle was engulfed in flames and power lines were down.

The driver was out of his vehicle and refused medical aid from Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue. He told medics he just wanted to go to work.

The man told the deputy that something ran out in front of him and he lost control of his vehicle, hitting the utility pole. A witness said the man told her the accident occurred because he slipped on something, then he said something ran out in front of him, according to police reports.

The vehicle was a total loss. The man told the deputy he had two beers before he got called to go to work. The deputy found no signs of an animal running into the roadway.

Power and phone service was interrupted from the accident and vehicle traffic was shut down until later that evening while fire crews extinguished the blaze and Puget Sound Energy repaired the pole and lines.

The man was arrested and processed for DUI and third-degree driving with a suspended license. He was released on personal recognizance pending a court appearance.