AHOSKIE – A hit-and-run driver was to blame for a power outage Thursday morning in the area of Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie.

The hospital remained operational, thanks to emergency generators. However, all of the offices in the adjacent Doctor’s Park were without power and sent their employees home for the day. The exception is the Pain Clinic, which saw patients in a portion of the hospital.

Residences in that part of Ahoskie were also without power. A generator provided temporary power to the traffic light at the busy intersection of Academy Street and Memorial Drive until NC Dominion Power could restore the electrical service throughout the affected area, which they later in the day.

Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh said the driver of a tractor-trailer is responsible for the outage. He said that driver was operating an 18-wheeler at around 6:50 a.m. on West Stokes Street where he apparently impacted a power pole. The stop sign at the corner of Camlin Street and NC 42 was also knocked down.

“DOT and Dominion NC Power responded quickly to the scene and are still in the process of making repairs,” said Fitzhugh at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Fitzhugh said his department was seeking more information about the make and model of the 18-wheeler.

“The driver, who was not supposed to be operating an 18-wheeler on a residential street here in town, left the scene of an accident,” Fitzhugh said. “We have specific truck routes here in town; the majority of our residential streets are off-limits to trucks that size.”

Those with information are urged to contact APD Sgt. Justin Farmer at 252-332-5011 or can leave a tip by visiting www.ahoskiepd.com.