By Mike Hazlip—
The driver of a pickup truck was arrested Saturday morning after the vehicle collided with an above-ground pipe assembly at the intersection of Auburn Boulevard and Antelope Road, causing water to shoot nearly 100 feet into the air.
Citrus Heights Police Lt. Jason Baldwin said officers responded to the incident outside the Valero gas station at the intersection just before 2 a.m. on September 18. Baldwin said it appears the pickup jumped the curb before striking the pipe assembly.
Officers attempted to render aid to the adult male driver and a female passenger at the scene, but the driver shut the vehicle’s door and refused to cooperate with police, Baldwin said.
“Because we had somebody who was not cooperating inside the vehicle, and because we couldn’t see inside the vehicle, we made a tactical operation to surround the vehicle while the water was being shut off,” Baldwin said.
Once water pressure was reduced by Citrus Heights Water District, police said officers were able to communicate with the driver and take him into custody without further incident. The driver was charged with driving under the influence. An adult female passenger was released at the scene, and Baldwin said officers drove her to her residence.
“I will commend the officers that were on the scene,” Baldwin said. “They acted very well for the circumstance. They calmly waited it out, and waited for the opportune time to take the appropriate action.”
Baldwin estimated about four homes may have experienced reduced water pressure during the incident, but residents were likely asleep at the time and may not have noticed. Water pressure was restored less than two hours after the collision, he said.
Nearby roadways were shut down for several hours due to the incident, according to an email alert sent out to media early Saturday morning.
