NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
A driver lost control and struck a high-voltage Tennessee Valley Authority tower Wednesday morning and an argument with his passenger is to blame, according to police.
The crash was reported around 9:20 a.m. at the intersection of Ashland City Highway and Clarksville Highway in Bordeaux.
Authorities said the couple was traveling south on Ashland City Highway when they got into a verbal altercation.
Police said the female passenger grabbed a cigarette lighter from the male driver, causing him to accelerate, lose control and run off the roadway.
The vehicle struck a power pole and metal sign before traveling down an embankment and into the high-voltage tower, officers on the scene reported.
The impact ripped off the trunk of the car and bent a portion of the TVA tower.
Paramedics responded to the scene and found the female backwards in the front seat. She was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.
As of 11:30 a.m., TVA crews remained on the scene surveying the damage.
Authorities said the car would not be moved until TVA determines the tower is structurally sound.
Police have the lane from Ashland City Highway to Clarksville Highway closed while the investigation continues.
The driver of the car was not injured. Police said he will be cited for careless driving and possibly for not having proof of insurance.
