Eastern Iowa Man Shocked While Putting up a Flag

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — An 18-year-old man trying to hang a flag for the July 4 holiday was seriously injured when the flag pole he was holding touched a power line.

Bettendorf Police spokeswoman Lauran Haldeman says the accident happened just before 2:30 p.m. Friday. Haldeman says the man was an employee of a local food vendor and was on top of a trailer attempting to hang a flag from a metal pole.

Haldeman says the pole fell forward and touched a power line, shocking the teen.

The man fell about 15 feet to the ground. He was given CPR by a Bettendorf police officer until paramedics arrived. The man was then taken to a Davenport hospital.

Bettendorf police are investigating.