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Man Reading Text Message Strikes Hydrant, Tree

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Jul 13, 2007 8:24 am US/Pacific

Man Reading Text Message Strikes Hydrant, Tree

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BUENA PARK, Calif. (CBS) ― A 33-year-old driver was injured after he crashed into a curb while reading a text message on his cellular phone, then clipped a fire hydrant and slammed into a tree, authorities said.

The crash occurred at 2:20 a.m. in the 17500 block of Valley View Avenue, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. David Flores of the Cerritos Station.

The man was driving northbound on Valley View when he received a text message, he said, adding that has he looked up again, he hit a curb, clipped a hydrant and crashed into a tree.

The man suffered chest and leg injuries, said a county fire chief. The airbag in the vehicle deployed, injuring his face as well, Flores said.

Water from the hydrant shot 60 feet into the air and it took crews more than one hour to shut it off, according to a camera crew at the scene.

The man admitted to drinking alcohol and tests were being performed to determine whether he was over the legal limit, Flores said.

No one else was injured, he said.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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