UPDATE: Solo Vehicle Crash Knocks Out Power

A solo-vehicle crash into a switching router knocked out power to more than 1,900 customers but most of them had electricity again in about 30 minutes, a Southern California Edison spokesperson said.

and Spinning Wheel Drive was reported at 9:56 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

According to SCE spokesperson David Song, 1,955 customers lost power but all except 320 quickly had theirs restored when crews rerouted power.

The remaining 320 customers did not get power restored until 5:45 p.m., Song said.

ORIGINAL STORY

A solo-vehicle crash into a transformer vault was blamed for a power outage in Murrieta today, officials said.

and Spinning Wheel Drive was reported at 9:56 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

Spinning Wheel Drive becomes Copper Craft Drive on the north side of Clinton Keith Road.

A witness told Patch that a vehicle driven by a woman smashed into the transformer vault but it was unclear whether the motorist suffered injuries.

“A girl hit the power transformer,” said Allan Havlik, 49, of Murrieta.

“I heard a big crash and everything went out. That’s when I went to make sure she was okay.

"I told her to get away from the smoking transformer.”

Havlik turned on his generator for power when the outage occurred.

Before the power went out, Murrieta resident Robert Reel, 49, was remodeling his patio and installing a fountain, he said.

 “I was out here working in my yard. My wife came out here and thought I did something with the power,” said Reel.

“Then all of a sudden we heard a bunch of sirens going off ... (I) walked down to the corner and saw the crash,” he said.

More than 200 customers were without electricity and officials estimated that power would be restored about 7 p.m., according to a Southern California Edison report.