Hecker Pass is closed between Watsonville Road in Gilroy and Carlton Road in Watsonville until about 2 p.m. today due to a downed power pole, according to the California Highway Patrol traffic incident information page. Snapped power lines and phone lines are blocking east and westbound lanes, according to CHP.
A firefighter stationed at the South Santa Clara Fire Department facility near Gilroy Gardens on Hecker Pass said the downed lines were not caused by an accident. Rather, a pole appeared to have given way after rotting out. Two cars then drove over the drooping lines and got trapped, he said. Authorities were called to the scene to clean up the debris.
