LEWISTON – A woman was injured and her car totaled when she crashed into a utility pole at Russell and College streets.

Diane Doustout, 58, of Auburn told police her brakes stopped working as she drove down Russell Street toward College Street late Wednesday afternoon.

Her 1993 Eagle drove up onto the sidewalk and slammed into the pole, knocking it over onto College Street.

Central Maine Power had to cut power to the surrounding neighborhood before firefighters could safely remove her from the car. Police Sgt. Danny Lachance, who was on the scene, said an officer climbed into the car first to make sure Doustout was all right and to brace her head while waiting for CMP to shut off power.

Lachance said it was a short wait; a CMP truck happened to be in the neighborhood.

Doustout was brought to St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center with complaints of neck pain and was released after treatment.

Traffic was diverted from sections of Russell and College streets for several hours while CMP repaired the line and city workers cleaned up the mess. The damage to utility pole is estimated at $5,000.