Over 3,500 PG&E customers in North Salinas were left in the dark for several hours last night after a power line fell across a portion of Highway 101 near Laurel Drive during rush-hour traffic. The incident occurred at 6:24 p.m. when the wire fell, damaging two vehicles as a result. CHP says the line was sparking as cars drove by it, causing a portion of the highway to be shut down. Traffic was routed on to Laurel Drive until the wire was deactivated and cleared from the highway around 7:30 p.m. Power was restored as of 12:30 this morning. The cause of the downed line is still being investigated.
