After colliding with another car, injuring the driver and downing a powerline, a suspected DUI driver attempted to flee the scene but was stopped by heroic bystanders.
On Wednesday night at 8 p.m., County Sheriff’s Deputies say that a Mercedes sedan driven by Blake Barton, a 40 year-old resident of Twentynine Palms, was heading north on Adobe Road near Didsbury Road at high speeds. Deputies report that the Mercedes collided with the rear of a Toyota SUV driven by a 20 year-old woman from Bridgeport, Connecticut, sending the Toyota into the dirt shoulder of the road then another 600 feet into telephone pole.
Witnesses at the scene told deputies that the downed power line was emitting sparks, and that the Toyota was leaking fuel nearby. Southern California Edison said that the damage caused a power outage for customers in Twentynine Palms. A severed cable line saw Spectrum users lose internet access as well.
Deputies responded and say that Barton attempted to the flee scene after the collision. Witnesses told deputies that they saw an open alcoholic beverage in Barton’s Mercedes and that they were able to stop and detain him, keeping him at the scene until deputies arrived.
The driver of the Toyota sustained non life-threatening injuries and was taken to Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital for treatment.
Barton was transported to Hi-Desert Medical Center for treatment for non life-threatening injuries. During their investigation, deputies determined that he was driving under the influence of alcohol and caused a collision resulting in injury.
SCE estimated the damage to the power pole and lines at $50,000.
