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Part Of Route 51 Reopens After Car Shears Off Telephone Pole

OVERBROOK (KDKA) – An accident on Route 51 Tuesday may impact the afternoon commute.

There were major traffic backups along Route 51 Tuesday afternoon after an out-of-control SUV sheared a telephone pole, narrowly missing at least two people.

Duquesne Light crews were on the scene of the accident hours after it happened, clearing the scene and replacing the pole.

That utility pole was dangling from the end of a crane, split in half. The SUV sat mangled nearby after hitting that pole and a fire hydrant. Eyewitnesses say the driver clipped a small sedan.

The accident happened right in front of the Red, White and Blue Thrift Store.

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(Photo Credit: Lori Sperling/KDKA)

Traffic on the inbound side of Route 51 was at a standstill for hours, but it is now back up to speed.

Scott Kerr was in the parking lot with his wife when the crash happened.

"We had to duck between two cars to make sure it didn't hit us," he said. "We were just walking through the lot and just heard the sound of a small collision as one car clipped the other, started to skid and it started to swerve, roll, and it was coming right at us."

A woman who claims to be the girlfriend of the man behind the wheel of the wrecked SUV says he was taken to the hospital. There's no word on his condition.

However, Pittsburgh Police say there were no injuries. Both drivers remained at the scene and there were no arrests.

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