Police say a man is lucky to be alive after an accident that left his SUV on its side.
It happened just on Wednesday, April 10th, 2013 on 12th Avenue between 34th and 35th Streets. Sergeant Kevin Cox, with the Moline Police Department, says the driver hit a utility pole and rolled the SUV onto its side, bringing down the pole and power lines.
First responders arrived at the scene to find the driver - an older man - unharmed, but also untouchable. Since power lines were touching the SUV, firefighters and the driver couldn't do anything but wait.
"MidAmerican Energy has always told us if you are involved in something like this and the lines get on your vehicle just sit tight and don't touch anything in the vehicle that's metal," Sgt. Cox told News 8's Pauli Mayfield. "That's exactly what he did. He just he sat tight and was talking to us and just waited until MidAmerican Energy arrived."
Once MidAmerican Energy crews did arrive, they worked on turning off the power as emergency crews worked on getting the man out of the car.
"They took the windshield out and then they had to cut the roof off the top of the vehicle in order to get him out of there safely," says Sgt. Cox. "He's very very fortunate. He said he wasn't complaining of any injuries. He didn't appear to be injured."
The man was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Police say they expect him to be okay.
"He was just talking to us and he wasn't sure exactly what happened," says Sgt. Cox. "I think he was pretty shaken up by the whole experience, but he was calm. He wasn't excited or upset or anything."