VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A Portsmouth man is facing charges after a crash Thursday night knocked out power to thousands of customers in Virginia Beach.
Stephen Kent Cawlfield, 27, is charged with driving under the influence and drinking in public for the crash, which happened around 8:50 p.m. at the intersection of Lynnhaven Parkway and Indian River Road.
Virginia Beach police said in a news release Thursday a vehicle hit a power box and utility pole, downing several power lines.
The driver — who has now been identified Cawlfield — wasn’t seriously injured and only one vehicle was involved, police said.
The roadway between Lynnhaven and Independence was closed for several hours following the crash. More than 8,000 Dominion Energy users were without power at first.
Most of the power was restored in the overnight hours.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.