A single vehicle accident on First Avenue in Mission sent a taxi driver to hospital and tied up downtown traffic this morning.
At approximately 8 a.m., the driver of a Central Valley Taxi slammed into a traffic light pole, at the intersection of First Avenue and Murray Street. It appears that the driver was planning to turn right onto the Murray Street overpass when he struck the pole.
Police, ambulance and fire were all on scene as the driver was taken to hospital with undisclosed injures. He was the only person in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
The collision was hard enough to dislodge the traffic light from the pole, sending it crashing to the pavement.
As of 9:15 a.m., traffic was still slow in the area as police continue to investigate.