In a freakish chain of events, a pickup truck struck a utility pole on South Beretania Street today, sending the pole crashing onto the hood of a car traveling two lanes over.

No serious injuries were reported, but 2,000 customers in upper Makiki lost power for nearly two hours after the 10:15 a.m. accident.

Police closed a section of Beretania between Ward Avenue and Hale Makai Street near the Honolulu Police Station. A city bus also was slightly damaged.

Man charged with assault

Police charged 27-year-old Marcus Dean Mejia with first-degree assault for allegedly beating his former girlfriend last week.

Mejia was arraigned yesterday at District Court. He is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.

Mejia is accused of beating a 21-year-old woman at his Mililani apartment last Monday. The woman was treated at The Queen’s Medical Center for internal head injuries, a broken nose and ruptured eardrum, police said.

Gusts disrupt power for 5,000

KONA — Gusts up to 60 mph yesterday played havoc with Hawaii Electric Light Co. power lines in South Kona, Ka'u and Hamakua.

HELCO spokesman Jay Ignacio reported service to more than 5,000 customers was disrupted from 6:19 last night through this morning due to rain and high winds. Some of the disruptions, however, lasted only five seconds, said Ignacio.

The most affected area was along Highway 11 in South Kona where winds caused trees to fall on power lines, said Ignacio.

About 3,500 customers from Pahala to Hawaiian Ocean View Estates were without power from two to six hours. Dick Mitsutani of the National Weather Service office in Hilo said winds were expected to decrease today.

33 arrested for drunken driving

HILO — Big Island police arrested 33 motorists for suspicion of drunken driving from Monday of last week through Sunday. Five of the drivers arrested were involved in traffic collisions and four were minors, police said.

Police have arrested 1,057 motorists for DUI, a 22 percent increase from 2002.