A San Francisco woman suffered major injuries when her Lexus crashed into and toppled a power pole on state Highway 29 south of Saint Helena in unincorporated Napa County Wednesday morning.
Elizabeth Debaubigny, 73, was taken to Queen of the Valley Medical Center, CHP Officer Jaret Paulson said.
She was driving a 2008 Lexus SUV at 45 mph north on state Highway 290 just south of Zinfandel Lane when she drifted to the right and hit the power pole, Paulson said.
The SUV then struck some mailboxes and stopped just short of the railroad tracks used by the Napa Valley Wine Train.
The fallen power pole closed both lanes of state Highway 29 for 2.5 hours, Paulson said.
The southbound lane reopened, but traffic north on Highway 29 used a turn lane to bypass the scene, Paulson said.
Northbound traffic was light late this afternoon, and PG&E crews were still replacing the power pole.
Melodie Hilton, a spokeswoman for Napa Valley Wine Train, said Wednesday afternoon the fallen power pole might shorten the train’s route today between Napa and Saint Helena, but there are sidings along the route where the train can turn around.
The train left Napa for Saint Helena at 11:30 a.m., Hilton said.
James Lanaras, Bay City News
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