Clanton Police Department officers are still searching for the driver of a log truck who caused a power pole to break at the intersection of U.S. 31 and Alabama 22/145 Tuesday.

Police Chief Brian Stilwell said officers have identified the driver and the trucking company, but the name is being withheld pending the arrest of the suspect. The driver faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident.

On Tuesday, a white log truck driven by a white male was attempting to turn from Alabama 22 onto U.S. 31 South when a pillar from his unloaded truck trailer got hung on and broke the power pole.

“According to witnesses, the driver was well aware that he was hung on the pole and continued to drive anyway,” Stilwell said.

Stilwell added that the accident caused a major traffic problem throughout downtown for several hours and cost Alabama Power and the City of Clanton several thousand dollars in repairs. When the crash occurred, Clanton Police officers were assisting the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department in shutting down both rest areas on I-65 for the soap scare and were on the scene of two other injury accidents within the city limits.

Stilwell commended the witnesses and those that followed the truck as far as they could and said that officers would not have identified the truck or driver without the help of the witnesses.

“All our law enforcement agencies are starting to be stretched thin, and I wish we could be everywhere. This is why community involvement is so important. If it wasn’t for the cooperation of the witnesses, Lt. (Keith) Maddox would have had a more difficult time with this case.”