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Accident results in Hesperus power outage

Probably caused by medical condition

A tractor-trailer hit a utility pole on County Road 120 at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, knocking the power out for about 40 customers in the Hesperus/Hay Gulch area.

The driver was killed.

“(The accident) probably happened because of a medical condition, but we’ll have to wait and see what the coroner says,” said Capt. Adrian Driscoll of the Colorado State Patrol, who was still working the scene at 3 p.m. “Unfortunately, the condition resulted in a fatality.”

Driscoll identified the driver as 41-year-old Linn McWhorter from Avondale. The rig belonged to Blasi Trucking out of Pueblo.

Driscoll thought the death was related to a medical situation and not the accident itself because the truck was not badly damaged.

“It was a coal truck and was empty,” he said. “It took out the fence and several trees, too.”

Indiana Reed, spokeswoman for La Plata Electric Association, said all but one customer had power restored by 11:30 a.m. That customer lived at the scene of the accident.

abutler@durangoherald.com



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