A wrecker prepares to haul away a car severely damaged just before 8 a.m. Monday when the driver lost control and slammed into a utility pole along Route 228 east in Middlesex Township. The driver, Cody W. Deluisio, 25, of Leechburg, was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital with injuries. His condition was not available. The crash brought down power liens and closed the road between Logan and Sandy Hill roads for several hours.

MIDDLESEX TWP — Speeding was blamed for a one-car crash Monday morning that injured an Armstrong County man, broke a utility pole, left live power lines on Route 228 east and closed the road for several hours, authorities said.

About 100 customers of West Penn Power also reportedly lost service due to the wreck shortly before 8 a.m.

Middlesex Township police said Cody W. Deluisio, 25, of Leechburg lost control of his westbound car around a bend and went off the north side of the road, hitting and shearing off a utility pole.

At one point, said Patrolman Bryan Costanzo, the car briefly went airborne before traveling across the lawn at one home and ending in the driveway of the neighboring home.

Deluisio was injured, but he was able to get out of the car on his own. The pole broke off and sent power lines across both lanes.

Kevin Kubic was outside of his house on the 300 block of Route 228 east, also known as Glade Mills Road, loading up his truck for work when he heard the crash.

The vehicle traveled through Kubic's yard after hitting the pole. He was first to get to the injured driver, who was laying on the ground near the driveway of a neighboring house.

“(Deluisio) had cuts on his face, nothing too bad,” Kubic said. “He also was complaining of middle back pain.”He told Kubic he was on his way to work in Cranberry Township.Because of the injuries, Kubic made sure Deluisio stayed on the ground and didn't move until emergency crews arrived to help.Costanzo was there in minutes. A Quality Ambulance crew arrived a short time later and tended to Deluisio before taking him to Butler Memorial Hospital.Middlesex and Saxonburg volunteer fire departments assisted with traffic control at the scene, closing the road between Logan and Sandy Hill roads.West Penn Power crews showed up to take care of the downed lines, which were still energized immediately after the crash. A wrecker also arrived and towed away the severely damaged car.Costanzo cited Deluisio for driving at an unsafe speed.

A West Penn Power employee assesses the damage caused just before 8 a.m. Monday when the driver lost control of a car and slammed into a utility pole along Route 228 east in Middlesex Township. The crash broke the pole and brought live wires down across both lanes, The crash closed the road between Logan and Sandy Hill roads for several hours.