DUI Crash Closes Las Virgenes Road

July 9, 2010

UPDATE: Open and running smoothly now. A DUI driver on Las Virgenes Road took out a major power line pole, according the California Highway Patrol.

Las Virgenes is closed in both directions starting at the intersection of Muholland Hwy. and extending to near the Highway 101 onramp as Edison Power crews put in a new power pole.

The accident is believed to be the cause of a power outage in Calabasas early this morning. Power was restored at 5:15 a.m.

When asked when the road may be reopened, one officer responded, “It could be closed all day.”

UPDATE 10:15 a.m. The Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff station announced that 20 year-old Danielle Nicole Donatoni of Agoura Hills was the suspected drunk driver.

Police reports state she was driving on Las Virgenes coming from Malibu and sheared-off a power pole south of Lost Hills Road. Donatoni has been taken to an area hospital with unknown injuries and was issued a citation for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Her 2002 Toyota Tundra remained tangled in downed power lines for hours until it could be safely extracted.

Traffic remains closed both directions and repairs are expected to take at least 12 hours.