MADELIA — An 83-year-old rural St. James man was identified as the driver of a vehicle that hit a utility pole and two parked vehicles before rolling on its top at 4:23 p.m. Wednesday near the House of Print on Benzel Ave. S.W.

Douglas Clair Anderson, 83, was driving a 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe northbound on Benzel Ave. S.W. when he threw a cigarette out of his vehicle, left the traffic lane and ran off the road. Anderson then over-corrected, striking a utility pole/light support, electrical box, two parked motor vehicles and rolled on its top in the street, according to a crash report from the Watonwan County Sheriff’s Office released Friday.

Anderson swerved his vehicle to the right, hit a wooden power line pole, snapping it off, and destroyed an electrical box owned by Madelia Light & Power. The truck then struck the rear right quarter panel of an unoccupied 1997 Chevrolet pickup truck and the right rear quarter panel of an unoccupied 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 truck parked near the House of Print. The crash impact caused the Dodge truck to strike House of of Print guardrail.

Anderson was checked by Madelia Ambulance before he was transported to Madelia Hospital for suspected minor injuries.

Maloney Enterprises of Madelia assisted the Watowan County Sheriff’s Office at the scene.

Madelia Light and Power was contacted to help repair the electrical box and power pole.

John Tierney, Madelia fire chief, said he had 10 crew members at the scene for traffic patrol and public safety before leaving at about 8:40 p.m. when Madelia Municipal Light & Power felt comfortable with them leaving.

“Light and Power had to cut off power to do some line work so there was no public danger,” Tierney said.

Madelia Light & Power General Manager Chris Trembley said his crews put a new utility pole in the ground and were on scene until about 8 a.m. Thursday.

“We cut power for the safety of the public and linemen at the crash scene,” Trembley said.

Due to the power outage, subscribers of The Journal did not get a print edition Thursday but were able to access a full digital replica of the day’s news via the online e-edition. Normal newspaper print operations resumed for the Friday edition of The Journal.