Driver charged after stolen vehicle crashed into hydro pole near Cornwall, Ont.

An OPP cruiser is pictured in this undated photo. (Source: OPP Central Region)

A 56-year-old man is facing charges after a stolen car struck a hydro pole east of Cornwall, according to police.

Emergency crews responded to a crash on County Road 2, near Simser Road, shortly after 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

Ontario Provincial Police say the car left the roadway and struck a hydro hole, “completely shearing it off, leaving power lines hanging approximately a metre above the road.”

Witnesses told officers they saw a man get out of the car and flee on foot.

“Initially, officers wanted to ensure the individual was OK following the crash, but officers also learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen,” the OPP said in a media release on Wednesday.

“The OPP Canine Unit was called in to assist with the search and they located the suspect.”

The suspect is facing charges of theft of a vehicle, dangerous operation, operation while prohibited under the Criminal Code and failing to remain at the scene of the accident.

He is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Alexandria on Dec. 3.