Too-Tall Truck Brings Down Power Lines In Molino, Plunges Homes Into The Dark

December 11, 2019

A trucker with an over-height load left a few hundred people in the dark Tuesday night in Molino.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Vincent Washington of Mobile was hauling a load of scrap metal that was 17 feet, 1 inch high, which was 3 feet, 4 inches over the legal height.

The scrap metal pulled down power and cable lines along nearly two miles of  Molino Road about 6:15 p.m.. As the truck snagged power lines, it reportedly pulled the electric service masts away from several homes.

Washington was cited for careless driving and having an over dimensional load.

The Molino and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Florida Highway Patrol and FHP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement responded. Customers of both Gulf Power and Escambia River Electric Cooperative in the area lost power as a result of the incident.

A power outage about the same time in the area of Jacks Branch Road and Green Tree Circle in Cantonment was unrelated and was caused by wind.

Pictured above: Power lines trail behind an over-height scrap truck Tuesday night on Molino Road. Pictured below: Power lines wrapped around the top of the load. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

8 Responses to “Too-Tall Truck Brings Down Power Lines In Molino, Plunges Homes Into The Dark”

  1. Driver on December 12th, 2019 4:09 pm

    @Trisha…read the article again. It says “truck carrying scrap Metal”..doesn’t say anything about a log truck..and people wonder why things get blowed out of proportion.

  2. Darlene Hart on December 12th, 2019 6:07 am

    Thank you to the people who worked for EREC and Spectrum. Both companies worked thru the cold rainy night to get the power and cable back on.

  3. Master Mechanic on December 12th, 2019 5:29 am

    FDOT Overheight Permits

  4. JB on December 11th, 2019 12:54 pm

    So that’s where the power truck was taking a new power pole to last night down Barrineau Park School Road!

  5. Resident on December 11th, 2019 12:23 pm

    Bet he was cutting through to 95a to avoid the weigh station. SURE WISH SOMEONE WOULD SOLVE THAT PROBLEM SINCE THEY DON’T WANT TO FIX THE ROAD EITHER.

  6. Trisha on December 11th, 2019 11:13 am

    Are log trucks even supposed to travel in the dark? I came up on one traveling on Atmore cut off a few nights ago and it was almost impossible to see him until he was right in front of you.

  7. wilykyote on December 11th, 2019 10:05 am

    Stupidity appears to be gaining on us !

  8. Schwartz on December 11th, 2019 9:50 am

    Coming home from Jimmy’s Grill and had to detour down Barrineau Park school road to get to Hwy 99. Poor guys having to stand out there waiting for two power companies.