Photo courtesy of Harrison Daily Times
An allegedly intoxicated motorist hitting a utility pole resulted in an early Saturday morning fire destroying parts of a 68-year-old church in Harrison. According to the Harrison Daily Times, the 17-year-old male juvenile was taken into custody on suspicion of careless driving with accident, DWI (drugs), refusal to submit to chemical test, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and criminal mischief.
Harrison Police Chief Paul Woodruff says the suspect was driving on Stephenson Avenue earlier and hit a trailer knocking it into a building and causing minor damage. The juvenile allegedly fled the scene and lost control again before hitting the pole. A witness said the driver hit the pole with enough force to splinter it near the base. The transformer caught fire, and service was ripped from Eagle Heights Baptist Church likely starting the blaze around 4:40. The witness said the suspect was bleeding from the facial area and appeared to be intoxicated.
Harrison firefighters poured water on the fire from several angles, but the water was beginning to freeze on some pavement and other flat surfaces around 6:20 as the temperature was around 31 degrees. Entergy was called to the scene as sections of the city experienced a power outage from the wreck. Black Hills Energy also responded, and firefighters shut off a natural gas meter near the building.
Eagle Heights Pastor Kenneth Stacy said the fire began in the youth area of the church building. A church member reports there was also a full basement below that portion of the building.
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