PALMYRA — A Hermon man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly striking a utility pole with his work vehicle and then registering more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood while driving.

Matthew Daigle, 40, was driving a Dish Network truck around 2:45 p.m. on Webb Ridge Road when he ran off the road, according to Deputy James Ross of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

Daigle hit a utility pole, “taking a chunk out of the pole,” Ross said in an email, before getting back on the road and continuing toward St. Albans. Police also received a report that Daigle nearly hit a child while driving the truck.

Deputy Wilfred Dodge responded to a report of the incident and found Daigle farther down the road.

Daigle submitted to a breath-alcohol test that showed he had more than twice the legal blood-alcohol concentration for driving, which is 0.08 percent, police said.

Dish Network officials could not be reached for comment. Ross said he didn’t know if Daigle was on the job for Dish Network when he was arrested.

He was charged with operating a vehicle under the influence and leaving the scene of a property damage accident and failing to notify police of a motor vehicle accident, all misdemeanors.

The Hartland Fire Department also responded because of the report of damage to a utility pole.

Madeline St. Amour can be contacted at 861-9239 or at:

mstamour@centralmaine.com

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