A man is in a critical condition at Hawke's Bay Hospital after being thrown 15m from his car, which wiped out a power pole on Clifton Road at the weekend.
About 5.50pm on Saturday, a 35-year-old Te Awanga man drifted off to the left and over-corrected, causing his vehicle to slide through a barrier and knock out a concrete power pylon.
"We don't believe excessive speed was a factor but we do believe alcohol might have been, we are waiting on blood results," Senior Constable Tim Rowe said.
"It was fortunate it didn't happen sooner as children had been playing in the spot where his car stopped, moments earlier."
The man was flown to Wellington Hospital with extensive head and external injuries, but has now returned to Hastings.
Police closed the road for several hours while they carried out a scene investigation.
Mr Rowe called for any new witnesses to come forward with information regarding the two door, red Ford Laser which may have been acting suspiciously prior to the crash.
Electricity was cut to about 370 customers for at least an hour, while others did not have power restored until late evening.
Anyone with any information is asked to phone Tim Rowe at the Hastings Police Station on (06) 873 1195.