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The driver of the van that crashed into a power pole near Burgess Park on May 22, causing a power outage and three days of road closures, said he swerved after an animal ran in front of his vehicle, Menlo Park police said.
About 3,500 customers in downtown Menlo Park and nearby neighborhoods lost power after the crash knocked a utility pole onto Ravenswood Avenue at the busy Laurel Street intersection across from Burgess Park, which serves as the city’s civic center.While power was restored for many customers after a few hours, the outage lasted longer for others. Burgess Pool was able to reopen within two hours, but the Menlo Park Library remained closed through May 23.
The crashed white van remained on the scene overnight and into Saturday, its front-end smashed and windshield cracked. Police spokesperson Nicole Acker told The Almanac on May 26 that the driver declined medical treatment at the scene. The incident is not being investigated as a criminal matter, she said.
Two lanes on Ravenswood Avenue between Alma and Laurel streets were scheduled to be closed until noon on May 23 while PG&E crews made repairs, but the westbound lane and one eastbound lane stayed closed throughout Memorial Day weekend, causing backups as westbound traffic trying to reach El Camino Real was detoured to Oak Grove Avenue to cross the train tracks. At 7:15 a.m. on Memorial Day, May 25, Menlo Park police announced that Ravenswood had fully reopened.