ALTON - Marian Nelson, a 27-year resident of a home on Market Street in Alton, was in her house around 2 p.m. Wednesday when said she heard a terrible noise outside on Ninth Street and Alby Street, across from Schwegel’s Market.
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Nelson said she was the first on the scene and she went into action immediately, dialing 9-1-1.
“I was there only about a minute after it happened,” she said.
She knew something was wrong and ran outside and found a man who she described as “disoriented” after the accident at the time, in his car. She helped him get out of the car and warned him of a potentially dangerous downed pole with power lines. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined and is under investigation.
Nelson said she was without power after the incident occurred and was uncertain how long it would be out after the accident.
The Alton Fire Department was on the scene in a split moment of time and immediately went to work assisting the man, joining ambulance personnel. The Alton Fire Department helped clean the area the best they could.
The man hit a pole, a fire hydrant and some signs on his way to crashing the vehicle.
Alton Fire Department Battalion Chief Tom House said the man must have been coming down Ninth Street in Alton when he took out the signs, the pole and the fire hydrant.
Nelson and the firefighters were very concerned for his safety. House said the man was up and walking around after they arrived, but he was transported to a local hospital to be examined.