The ute hit the power pole on Maunu Rd, Whangārei, shortly before 10.30pm on Sunday.
The ute hit the power pole on Maunu Rd, Whangārei, shortly before 10.30pm on Sunday.
Domino effect from power disruption
Power was cut to hundreds of homes in Woodhill on Sunday night after a vehicle ploughed into a power pole on Maunu Rd. The ute struck the pole, near Whangārei Hospital, shortly before 10.30pm causing 822 Northpower customers to lose electricity. Senior Sergeant Brian Swann,of Northland Police, said the driver was helped by an off-duty doctor who escorted them to the Whangārei hospital's emergency department. He said the power cut resulted in "a heap" of other callouts for police as alarms were triggered. Northpower spokeswoman Rachel Wansbone said the company successfully reduced the number of impacted customers to 131 by the early hours of Monday morning by "back feeding". This number continued to dwindle until around 3pm when power was restored to the last six customers. Swann said while the power was out there was an attempted break-in at the Caltex service station on Western Hills Dr. He said the person targeted the window where the night staff serve customers. The worker fled into a back room and phoned police. Swann said nothing was taken from the store.
$166k richer thanks to Lotto
A Northlander is $166,667 richer after being one of five people with winning tickets in Lotto First Division on Saturday night. The winning ticket was sold in Four Square Kaiwaka. A second Northlander will be celebrating as they - alongside 15 others nationwide - won Lotto Second Division, worth $28,45. Their successful ticket was bought on MyLotto.
