Centerway crash reroutes traffic and results in power outage

JANESVILLE — The Janesville Police Department rerouted traffic on Centerway, between Parker Drive and Milton Avenue, until 7 a.m. today because of a traffic accident that happened at 2 a.m. in the 400 block of East Centerway.

The road was closed to traffic, between Harding and Cornelia Streets, while Alliant Energy crews repaired a utility pole that was hit during the crash, said a police department spokesman.

Pole damage initially resulted in a power outage for 34 Alliant customers. Power was restored to 16 customers within a half hour and to the rest of the customers by 8 a.m., according to an Alliant spokesperson.

Driver David W. Dewey, 20, of 1821 Liberty Lane, Janesville, lost control of the 1993 Dodge sedan he was driving and hit the pole. He was arrested on charges of drunk driving, according to police.

Janesville Fire Department ambulances at the scene checked out Dewey, but he refused to be transported to Mercy Hospital, according to police.

But after Dewey was taken to the police department, he fainted so was taken to Mercy, where his condition was not available this morning.

Dewey also was arrested Oct. 21 on six charges of party to theft and one of party to burglary after a rash of vehicle thefts in the city. He was among three arrested in connection with seven such crimes.