A crash during a police pursuit in Metro Detroit led to utility pole damage – and disruptions to an underground cable in River Rouge, authorities said. 

The series of circumstances began about 2:07 p.m. Wednesday, when the Michigan Department of Corrections Absconder Recovery Unit informed the Melvindale Police Department that a parole absconder was in the 3000 block of Oakwood Boulevard in the city. 

"This individual was also wanted for a home invasion in another jurisdiction," Melvindale police said. 

Melvindale officers found the wanted individual driving a vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. But the driver sped off, police said, heading eastbound on Oakwood Boulevard, then onto Dix Street into the City of Detroit. 

Police said the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a utility pole. 

Dashcam video provided by Melvindale police showed officers attempting to block off a red van that afterwards sped up to about 75 mph along the suburban streets. 

When the crash happened, a utility pole fell and blocked the street just behind the van, with an explosion resulting at the lines at the top of the pole. 

The driver got out and tried to run off, but other police arrived on the scene, and the driver was taken into custody without incident.   

Shortly afterwards, security video from a gas station caught the view of a manhole cover blowing off from street level in the area of East Great Lake and West Jefferson Avenue in River Rouge. 

"An underground cable issue in a River Rouge manhole led to disruption in the area," DTE said about the manhole damage.