Monessen, PA Youngwood man's crash knocks out power in Monessen on Friday afternoon ,July 3rd 2015

A man drove his car through a utility pole in Monessen on Friday afternoon, knocking out electrical power to hundreds of residents and businesses for several hours.

Tom Vivio, 61, of Youngwood, was apparently speeding up Grand Boulevard past Parente Boulevard when his Chevrolet Cruz plowed through the wooden pole, hit a large rock in front of a residence and flipped onto its roof, according to Monessen police.

Monessen firefighters had to cut off both doors to remove Vivio, who was conscious, according to Municipal fire Chief Chris Rhome.

Vivio was transported by ambulance to the Monessen Food Pantry parking lot, where he was flown via medical helicopter to UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh.

“The side curtain airbag that deployed probably saved his life,” Rhome said of Vivio, who had not been wearing a seat belt. “He might have ended up through the windshield. It's a damn good thing nobody was coming down the hill or it might be a much different story.”

Monessen police Lt. Brian Vitale said Vivio appeared to have only suffered minor injuries.

Officer Chris Gray recovered an open bottle of vodka from inside the vehicle.

Police said Vivio has immediate family residing in the city.

Vitale and Gray said police got a call shortly before 3:30 p.m. about a car bouncing off curbs near Monessen City Park. One witness told police the vehicle nearly struck a tree.

Witnesses said Vivio was allegedly driving so erratically, that several motorists actually tried flagging him down pleading for him to stop.



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Youngwood man's crash knocks out power in Monessen