Vehicle crash near Metro Fire station brings down power line, closes Watt Avenue

A solo vehicle crash Tuesday morning on Watt Avenue sheared a utility pole and forced authorities to shut down a major thoroughfare in Arden Arcade for several hours.

The crash occurred around 9:36 a.m. near the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District’s Station 103 in the 3800 block of Watt Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP North Sacramento spokesperson Officer Justin Fetterly said a single vehicle struck the utility pole, bringing down wires and prompting emergency crews to close the road in both directions between Edison Avenue and Auburn Boulevard, just south of the Capital City Freeway and Interstate 80.

The CHP’s incident log said the utility pole was sheared off in the crash, with some lines left hanging. Crews from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District responded to make emergency repairs. CHP officers initially estimated the northbound lanes would remain closed until at least 1 p.m.

It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured. An ambulance was dispatched to the scene, according to CHP logs.

CHP logs clarified there were two separate crashes reported on the roadway Tuesday morning, but only one involved a utility pole. The other incident, involving three vehicles, occurred nearby at Watt Avenue and Auburn Boulevard near the Shell gas station.

Motorists were urged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes. The cause of the crashes remain under investigation.

This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 11:00 AM.