A utility pole on South Ridge Road in Canton Township sat split in half for nearly three months after a crash before DTE Energy finally replaced it, according to a report by WXYZ 7 News Detroit published July 15.

The crash happened at 3:36 p.m. on Friday, April 17, when an SUV veered into a ditch, jumped a driveway, and smashed through the pole. A doorbell camera captured the wreck and showed neighbors running outside to help. The driver, the SUV's only occupant, walked away.

Mike Mechal, a Canton Township resident who lives near the crash site, watched it happen and took photos of the damage. He told WXYZ the SUV came through the pole, rolled, hit a fire hydrant, and ripped a door off before landing on the other side.

DTE Energy responded because a power line was down. Crews cut the line, secured it back to the pole, and removed the top sections. But part of the snapped pole remained sticking out of the ground, and another piece hung from wires clearly marked AT&T.

AT&T visited the site multiple times but told residents the pole wasn't theirs, Mechal said. He and a neighbor spent from April through mid-July contacting both companies without success.

"For three months, we've been trying to get this taken care of. Three hours is what it took for them to show up and start working on this thing," Mechal told WXYZ on July 15.

That three-hour fix came only after Mechal contacted WXYZ reporter Tony Geftos, who left several messages for DTE. The company called back, and crews arrived the same day to replace the pole and reattach the wires.

DTE Energy acknowledged the delay in a written statement, saying utility poles often carry lines from multiple providers. The company said telecommunications providers are responsible for relocating their own equipment but that DTE transferred the telecom lines as a courtesy to resolve the issue faster.

DTE's own published policy states that when a pole needs work, joint-use companies such as telecom providers must relocate their wires before DTE will proceed. That requirement appears to have contributed to the months-long delay on South Ridge Road.

No crash report from the Canton Township Department of Public Safety has been made publicly available. The responding agency, whether charges were filed, and the driver's identity have not been confirmed.

Residents who need to report a downed power line or outage to DTE Energy can call 800-477-4747 or use the DTE app.