WINONA — A sneezing driver is to blame for a power outage in Winona.

Police say Travers DeWitte inadvertently stepped on the gas when a sneeze erupted, sending his vehicle across an intersection, up a curb and into a guy wire attached to a power pole.

The crash snapped the cable, which flew up and severed a power line, cutting service to about 1,300 Xcel Energy customers Wednesday. Police said sparks from the broken line ignited a small grass fire which quickly burned itself out. Power was later restored.