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Thousands Lose Power When Drunk Scientist Plows Through Yards, Shearing Utility Pole: Police

A 23-year-old man— believed to have been drunk— caused a serious crash and wiped out the power to thousands of homes in Lancaster on Saturday, October 1, police say. 

George Hetrick, a map of the areas where he caused the power surge, and the utility pole he struck.

George Hetrick, a map of the areas where he caused the power surge, and the utility pole he struck.

Photo Credit: LinkedIn/George Hetrick @georgehetrick4; Google Maps (Street View, Satellite)

George Benjamin Hetrick IV, 23, of Lancaster, was driving his 2013 BMW 535i when he "failed to negotiate a left-hand curve in the 300 block of East Roseville Road" around noon, according to the release by the Manheim Township police department.

Hetrick's BMW flew off the roadway and plowed through "several front yards crashing into mailboxes and shrubbery. At one point Hetrick's vehicle traveled through a PPL utility pole, shearing it off in two places," Manheim Twp. police state in the release. 

This striking and shearing of the utility pole disrupted power to thousands of residents for 10 hours, according to the police. 

One home on Harclay Place reported having outlets stop working, and several major appliances destroyed.

On Roseville Road eight homes were affected by the power surge leading outlets to stop working, TV, furnace, stove, and coffee pot damaged, one homeowner's stove "blew up", and another home "will need to be stripped down to bare studs and be completely rewired," police say. 

Hetrick "showed signs of impairment and was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Hetrick refused to provide a breath sample and was sent a summons to appear in court on charges of DUI - General Impairment, Careless Driving, and Driving Vehicle at Safe Speed," police say. 

Hetrick is a local Associate Scientist for BioPharmaceutical Microbiology, according to his LinkedIn, but he is known to the community as a popular high school lacrosse player who graduated from Manheim Township High School in 2018.  

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