Aided by witnesses’ cell-phone photos, a Bothell Police Department investigator tracked down a loaded tractor-trailer driver who struck a utility pole on State Route 522 in Bothell and drove away from the scene last Thursday morning.

From viewing the license plate (which was a Washington plate and not an out-of-state one, as previously reported), the investigator contacted the truck’s owner from a company in Tenino, according to Capt. Denise Langford.

The driver, a 48-year-old male, admitted to the hit and run and said he was trying to get to Woodinville, but turned the wrong direction onto SR 522 from Interstate 405. Just before 10 a.m., he drove right onto 101st Avenue Northeast to turn around and hit the pole. The case has been sent to the King County prosecutor for review of hit-and-run charges.

According to Deputy Police Chief Henry Simon, at about 10:10 a.m., power went out in the downtown corridor and police blocked off SR 522 between Kaysner Way and SR 527 because the pole extended over some of the lanes.

Throughout the day, police first reopened the eastbound SR 522 lanes and redirected westbound SR 522 traffic through downtown Bothell before reopening the remaining lanes.

At about 10:30 a.m., Simon said Washington State Patrol was looking for the truck and police were also contacting local businesses who might have worked with the driver.