Photo Credit: Washington County Sheriff’s OfficeA driver hauling an excavator along a two-lane road in Banks, Oregon, recently ran into a bit of trouble—literally.
According to a report from KATU TV, the driver underestimated the height of the John Deere excavator he was hauling beneath power lines. Near an intersection, the joint of the machine’s boom and arm snagged a line and, as you an see in the photo above, became very tangled.
When all was said and done, the truck and tangled excavator had pulled down four power poles and left 200 residents in the area without power.
As we learned in our piece from May on the danger and high cost involved in hitting power lines while hauling equipment, many states and utilities immediately hold the driver responsible for any damages incurred in hitting power lines. And that was the case here with the local sheriff telling KATU that the driver will be responsible for paying for all the damages to the lines he caused.
You can read more about preparing for height limits while hauling here.
