Stonington — Pequot Trail near Wheeler Drive is still closed tonight following an afternoon accident but police expect the road will be open by this morning.

While more than 800 customers were without power in Pawcatuck Monday afternoon after a car struck a utility pole at the eastern end of Pequot Trail, that number was reduced to 50 to night. CL&P crews are still on the scene tonight repairing the pole and downed power lines.

Just past 12:30 p.m. a car driven by an elderly local man heading east on Pequot Trail went off the side of the road and struck the pole before coming to rest on a small stone wall. The crash took down numerous power lines along Pequot Trail and Wheeler Drive.

The man, who was conscious and alert after the crash, told police on the scene that he had taken his eyes off the road for a second. 

He was trapped in the car and had to be extricated by Pawcatuck firefighters just before 1 p.m. He was then taken to Westerly Hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The crash cut off power to the police station which operated for some time on emergency generators. Police did not release his name Monday.