Car runs off road, shears power pole

A 41-year-old Spokane Valley man was seriously injured Tuesday night when his vehicle ran off the roadway, shearing off a power pole and he was thrown from his car.

Kevin Kelly Stonecipher was northbound on Glenrose Road about 9:40 p.m. when he failed to negotiate a curve at 47th Avenue, said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan. The 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse left the road, struck the power pole and continued into a field.

The car’s automatic shoulder belt was across Stonecipher, but he had not connected the manual lap belt and was ejected through a side window when the car dug into the soft soil and stopped.

Firefighters called to the scene for a downed power line and small fire discovered the car in the field.

Stonecipher was taken to a local hospital where he was listed in serious condition in the Intensive Care Unit Wednesday morning.

Sheriff’s traffic Det. Ken Salas said Wednesday the investigation indicated that both speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.