NE Bend DUII Crash Sparks Outage, Arrest

A 28-year-old Bend man ? urged by friends not to drive drunk — was arrested and briefly jailed on DUII and reckless driving charges after crashing into a power pole and shearing it off in northeast Bend late Monday night, police said. The crash knocked out power to more than 250 Pacific Power customers for more than five hours.

Around 10:50 p.m., a Bend officer in the area of Eighth Street and Greenwood Avenue heard a crash about a block away, in the area of Seventh and Greenwood, said Lt. Chris Carney. Deschutes County 911 dispatchers also got calls of a car crashing into a power pole on Seventh near Greenwood, he said.

Carney said an investigation found that Christopher Ryan Swenson, 28, was visiting friends in the area, who had advised him not to drive due to his intoxication, Carney said.

Swenson left anyway, driving his 2003 Infiniti at a high rate of speed, the lieutenant said.

Swenson lost control of the car and crashed into a power pole, shearing it off at the base and causing a power outage in the area. Swenson, alone in the car, received minor facial injuries that did not require medical attention, Carney said.

Pacific Power spokesman Bob Gravely said 255 customers in the area were affected, losing power until the pole was replaced. Power was restored around 5:22 a.m.

Swenson was booked into the county jail around 12:15 a.m. on charges of DUII, reckless driving and first-degree criminal mischief. He was released to a responsible third party shortly after 1 a.m., with a court date set for July 27, a jail officer said.