SOPHIA, W.Va. -- A Tuesday night wreck shut down W.Va. 16 and knocked out electricity to hundreds of people in Raleigh County.

John Ray Ara, 20, of Sophia, was heading south in a 2006 Ford Ranger pickup truck at about 9 p.m. when he ran off the road, according to Cpl. W.J. Crist of the Raleigh County Sheriff's Department.

Ara drove about 300 feet off the road before smashing into a utility pole, which snapped in two, Crist said. The crash knocked out power to hundreds of people and shut down W.Va. 16 for about 45 minutes while emergency crews cleaned up.

Crist said police believe speed and alcohol were both factors in the crash. Ara was taken to Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Sophia police and firefighters assisted with the accident and cleanup. Charges are pending against Ara.

SOPHIA, W.Va. -- A Tuesday night wreck shut down W.Va. 16 and knocked out electricity to hundreds of people in Raleigh County.

John Ray Ara, 20, of Sophia, was heading south in a 2006 Ford Ranger pickup truck at about 9 p.m. when he ran off the road, according to Cpl. W.J. Crist of the Raleigh County Sheriff's Department.

Ara drove about 300 feet off the road before smashing into a utility pole, which snapped in two, Crist said. The crash knocked out power to hundreds of people and shut down W.Va. 16 for about 45 minutes while emergency crews cleaned up.

Crist said police believe speed and alcohol were both factors in the crash. Ara was taken to Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Sophia police and firefighters assisted with the accident and cleanup. Charges are pending against Ara.