Prineville trucker cited after logs down lines, poles
A Prineville log-truck driver had a not-so-great day Thursday when his too-tall load of logs snagged power lines northeast of town, pulling down about 500 feet of lines and two power poles, blocking a road and knocking out power to about 200 customers, authorities said.
Crook County sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Chapman said Oregon State Police inspected the truck and cited John Waterman, 57, for violating his load requirement.
Around 11:10 a.m., sheriff’s deputies, Crook County Fire and Rescue and Pacific Power crews responded to the report of the log truck hitting some lines along Wainwright Road, about three miles northeast of Prineville, Chapman said.
They arrived to find two downed power poles and about 500 feet of downed lines, Chapman said.
Waterman, hauling logs for Kriege Logging, had been driving a load of logs that was two feet over the 14-foot height limit, snagging the lines and pulling over the poles Chapman said, adding that Waterman said he was going about 35 mph at the time.
It took two utility crews nearly five hours to restore power to the area. A lineman said most customers were back on line by around 4 p.m., and it took until almost 5 p.m. for a few.
Chapman said deputies directed Waterman to have a loader come to the scene and lower his load of logs to the legal limit before he continued on. The road was closed for about two hours for the investigation and cleanup of debris.
