East Vancouver crash knocks out power, disrupts bus service

A utility pole can be seen resting on the roof of the crashed sedan. (CTV News)

A crash knocked out power for hundreds of households in East Vancouver Saturday morning, sending two people to hospital and disrupting trolley bus service on East Hastings Street.

Images from the scene on East 1st Avenue near Lillooet Street show a single vehicle with significant front-end damage resting on the road’s grassy median.

A utility pole can be seen resting on the roof of the crashed sedan.

The Vancouver Police Department told CTV News it received the call around 6:30 a.m.

“The driver of a Toyota Corolla had parked their car in a no-stopping zone near East 1st Avenue and Lillooet Street,” said a VPD spokesperson in an email.

“As the driver of a Lexus was driving east along 1st Avenue, he attempted to swerve around the Toyota, but clipped the rear driver side, causing him to lose control of his vehicle. The Lexus crashed into a telephone pole in the area. Both the driver and the passenger were taken to hospital for minor injuries.”

Police said the driver of the Toyota was ticketed for parking in a no-stopping zone.

BC Hydro reported 785 customers without power as a result of the crash. The power went out shortly after 6:20 a.m., according to the utility company. A crew was on scene, but the power remained off as of 1:30 p.m.

TransLink’s two Hastings Street trolley buses – routes 14 and 16 – were affected by the lack of power.

The transit provider was running shuttle buses between 29th Avenue Station and Commercial Drive to replace the 16, and between Kootenay Loop and Commercial Drive to replace the 14.

The R5 RapidBus, which also runs along East Hastings Street but is diesel powered, was unaffected.