Woodstock crash - June 22

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
June 29, 2012

Last Friday, June 22, about 5:30AM power was knocked out in the 700 block of Washington St., Woodstock, when a pick-up truck managed to take out three utility poles.

An initial Northwest Herald article on Monday reported on the crash and mentioned that Woodstock Police were unable to provide more information on Sunday. This kind of leads one to wonder why Police didn't provide more information during the working part of the day on Friday, such as the name of the driver and what tickets were issued.

Woodstock Fire Rescue District Lt. Michael Hill was quoted as having said, “It was weird from the get-go,” he said. “I’ve never seen three [utility poles knocked down] in a row. ... I’ve never seen damage like that before, and he walked away from it.”

A Police Blotter at the Woodstock PD, in the lobby outside the security door, would be a great way to provide information to the public on police activity daily. Crashes could be reported, along with criminal incidents, lost dogs, missing wallets. Posting the Blotter where the public can actually get at it would be a good public service.

The Sheriff's Department might follow suit here and move its clipboard with the blotter to the entrance of the courthouse, outside the security screening devices, so that anyone wanting to read it can do so without having to pass through Security. Right now the clipboard and Blotter are located on the second floor of the government center, inside the Administration Offices of the sheriff's department. You don't have to ask for it; it's on a small table in the public seating area. Just wander in, have a seat and start reading.