A portion of Dublin was left without power for around 6 hours and a police vehicle was likely totaled as Dublin PD responded to an assault near the Dublin Public Library Saturday morning.
According to Dublin Police Chief Cameron Ray, Dublin PD was informed that a male assaulted a woman in a vehicle at the library. When the responding officer realized the vehicle was behind the library and not in front of it, he reportedly failed to negotiate the turn and left the roadway.
The Dodge Charger cruiser cut the electric guide wires as it went through the rock wall and landed in the ditch on the North Park side of the property near the bridge and butterfly garden.
Chief Ray reported Oncor was contacted immediately and was on scene within 30 minutes to start repairs, which took from before 10 a.m. to after 3 p.m. to complete.
Texas DPS was called on to the scene to help the investigation. The officer submitted to drug screening and passed with no issues. He suffered minor injuries on his arm, but was otherwise unharmed.
“The only thing hurt was his pride,” said Ray in presenting the matter at the City Council meeting Monday night.
Ray said the car was likely totalled, but that it was the oldest patrol vehicle in the fleet.
Ray added that the male originally sought in the assault report, Zachary Hinds, was located on Sunday and arrested on existing warrants of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Dublin Historical Society President Ben Pate spoke at the Monday meeting, saying that Michael Beard at Brookshire Brothers heard the compressors strain when the power was hit Saturday morning and rushed to turn off some of his breakers to lessen electrical issues. Pate wondered if the city should apologize and possibly repay any costs suffered by the business while power was out. He also requested the city seek a proper mason to restore the rock wall to the way it was before.