Manlius, NY (September 7, 2026) – A Manlius driver escaped serious injury Monday morning after a utility pole collapsed into the roadway and struck his car, according to the Manlius Police Department. The crash happened around 7:00 a.m. near the intersection of Kirkville Road and Girden Road in the Town of Manlius.
Police say the driver, Eric Aldrich, was traveling westbound on Kirkville Road when the pole gave way for reasons that have not yet been determined and fell into the road, bringing live power lines down with it. Aldrich’s car struck the section of the pole that had snapped and came to rest against the downed wires.
Aldrich was briefly trapped inside his vehicle by the lines but was able to free himself before emergency crews arrived. Members of the Minoa Fire Department ambulance crew checked on him at the scene. The extent of any injuries has not been released.
National Grid crews responded to repair the damaged pole and lines. Power remains out in the surrounding area, and Kirkville Road between Girden Road and Fremont Road is closed until further notice while repairs continue. Aldrich said wires sparked several times while he waited in the car for firefighters to tell him it was safe to get out.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
Watching the road ahead give way without warning, on an ordinary drive to work, is the kind of moment that stays with a person long after the power comes back on.
Who Is Liable for a Utility Pole Accident in Upstate New York
When a utility pole fails and comes down on a moving vehicle, the driver is not automatically at fault, and the company that owns and maintains that pole may be.
- Who may be liable: National Grid, as the utility responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and replacing the poles and lines along Kirkville Road
- What investigators examine: the pole’s age and condition, inspection and maintenance logs, any prior complaints or repair requests for that stretch of line, and whether the failure points to a structural or material defect
- No storm, weather event, or vehicle strike has been reported in connection with the collapse, which is the kind of detail an investigation into the pole’s condition and maintenance history would need to account for
- Fault has not been attributed to Aldrich, who was simply driving through the area when the pole came down
Under New York law, you generally have three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim (CPLR § 214), which puts the deadline in this case at September 7, 2029. Because National Grid is a private utility rather than a government agency, the shorter 90-day municipal notice requirement does not apply here, though that could change if a town or county road authority is later found to share responsibility for the pole or the road.
Contact Our Upstate NY Car Accident Attorneys
Watching a utility pole collapse into your path, then being trapped by live power lines while you wait for firefighters to say it’s safe to move, is not something you simply shake off once the tow truck leaves.
Our Upstate NY auto accident lawyers have handled cases involving defective infrastructure and utility company negligence across Central New York, and we know how to hold a utility accountable when equipment that is supposed to be safe fails instead.
National Grid is already repairing the pole and lines, which means the physical evidence of what went wrong is disappearing fast, so photos, dashcam footage, and any maintenance history for that stretch of road are worth preserving now, while they still exist.
We work on contingency, so there is nothing to pay us unless we recover money for you. Call us at (888) 997-3889 now.
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- 45+ years fighting for the injured
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