Utility repairs close down James Street
Part of James Street, in Eastwood, shut down before dawn Sunday after a car hit a utility pole
/ Photojournalist Bill Ali
Update 1:43PM
The crew has finished fixing the utility pole and the section of James Street that was closed is now reopened.
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A car slammed into a utility pole on James Street at Mildred Avenue at around 4:45 Sunday morning, sending two to the hospital and shutting down the Eastwood thoroughfare for repairs.
Police say that a 2006 Chevy Malibu was heading east when it failed to keep right, drove across both westbound lanes, and hit a utility pole. Firefighters were called to pull two people from the car, the driver, Noble Smith 27, of Syracuse, and the passenger, Shanequa Fair, 19, of Syracuse. Both people were taken to Upstate Hospital to be treated for internal injuries. Smith's injuries were non-life threatening and is listed in stable condition. Fair is listed in critical but stable condition. The car sheared off the utility pole (you can see the 'stump' in the picture here) and National Grid crews need several hours to replace it and restore power.
James Street is shut down from near Walgreen's at Grant Boulevard, to Clifton Place, until further notice, while National Grid replaces the utility pole. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
