PULLMAN — Almost 45 minutes after a drunk driver sent his truck careening over a hill last night, a man remained trapped inside while workers removed the power lines that entangled the twisted metal.

He had been driving south on Grand Avenue, toward downtown Pullman, when he noticed a vehicle speeding in the opposite direction. Police said he applied his brakes near the intersection of Turner Drive, while the driver behind him veered right to avoid a collision.

Once on Turner Drive, the man lost control of his truck and rolled about 30 feet into a power pole. The broken lines sparked as they struck the vehicle.

The vehicle that caused the accident continued recklessly down the road.

Communicating through hand signals, firefighters told the man to remain in his vehicle until crews from Avista Utilities could shut down power to the lines. A hose was stationed nearby for the possibility of an electrical arc.

Once an all-clear was given, the firefighters removed the man through the back of his vehicle. He was uninjured and did not go to the hospital.

Deputies from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office took Cheryl A. Bynum, 53, of Clarkston, into custody after she lost control of her van near mile marker 5 of Highway 27, just north of Pullman.

Pullman police later arrested Bynum on charges of felony hit-and-run, reckless driving and driving under the influence. Sheriff Brett Myers said Bynum had a suspended license and multiple previous DUIs.

She had been driving between 70 and 90 miles per hour, splitting lanes and forcing other vehicles to take evasive action, according to multiple witnesses that include an off-duty WSU Police officer.

“It’s a miracle that no one was killed,” said Aaron Breshears, the Pullman police officer in command of the scene.

Bynum was transported to Pullman Regional Hospital, where she was treated for neck and back pain. Breshears said she was under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs.

Another driver whose vehicle was side-swiped by Bynum’s reported injury to a passenger, who was seen by firefighters but transported to the hospital in a non-emergency vehicle.

The accident snapped the power pole on Turner Drive and broke a 115,000-volt line and a 13,000-volt line. Avista crews estimated 2,270 customers were without power as a result of the accident. One witness said power went out in the produce section of the Safeway on Bishop Boulevard.

The crews awaited additional personnel and said the repairs could take up to 10 hours, but a “smart grid” system enabled them to quickly restore power to a large section of Military Hill.

The Pullman Police Department encouraged anyone involved in a related accident to provide information.