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CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS | CONTINUOUS NEWS COVERAGE
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6 Investigates: Power Line Damage
Posted: Nov 13, 2012 5:28 PM
Updated: Nov 13, 2012 6:37 PM
CORPUS CHRISTI -A city recycling truck knocked down a power line leaving a homeowner with no electricity and a hefty repair bill. But he says he didn't do anything so he shouldn't get stuck with the bill.
When Ruben Sanchez left for work Monday morning he says everything was fine until he got a call from his son saying their whole house shook as if someone ran into it. So Sanchez rushed home to find his electrical box ripped from his home.
Sanchez says a city recycling truck was turning onto his street when it snagged the top of his power line.
In newer houses, the electric power line is underground but since he lives in an older home in an older neighborhood his situation is a little different.
"Mine is one of the few houses that actually cross the street. Most other houses they go to the side of the house to a pole, but there's no poles on my side of the street so that's why they shoot across the street," said Sanchez.
Sanchez says the city told him they aren't responsible for the damage that AEP is because the lines were too low. We went to the city to ask the head of risk management Donna Spruce, why the city wasn't responsible but her secretary said she wouldn't be in until Thursday. And she said Spruce's superiors weren't available to talk.
Sanchez then says when he went to AEP they told him it is his responsibility.
"So here I am stuck with basically a 16-hundred dollar bill that is coming out of my pocket for something somebody else did," said Sanchez.
So we went to AEP to find out why he is stuck with the bill.
"Generally with the weather head, where they receive the service, it's their responsibility to have that raised if it's too low," said Andy Heines with AEP Texas.
"I thought it was normal. I thought it was fine. I'm no expert, I'm no line expert or anything how am I supposed to know how low is low?" said Sanchez.
Meanwhile, AEP is looking into the incident. AEP representatives say if they are at fault, they will pay for the damages. But until the investigation is complete Sanchez is going to be stuck with the bill.
If you live in an older neighborhood and your power line barely clears traffic AEP says to call them to have it checked out. They will let you know if you need to have it raised or not.
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