Suspected Drunk Driver Causes Transformer Fire

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A suspected drunk driver has turned out to be the cause of a power outage that affected parts of Lincoln and St. Joseph Townships overnight Thursday. The Lincoln Township Police Department says 72-year-old Thomas Zabadal, of St. Joseph, rolled his 2005 Buick near 500 Glenlord Road around 10:45 p.m. Wednesday. Police say he sheared an American Electric Power pole while doing so which caused a transformer to catch fire. That led to a power outage that shut down Upton Middle School and hit other businesses on Thursday. Officers found Zabadal’s blood alcohol level to be over the legal limit, and he’s been charged with drunk driving. He suffered minor injuries in the crash.