Coroner: Electrocuted copper thief found dangling from transformer

[proud2BlibKansan]

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
A tourist from North Carolina taking photos of the old Department of Mental Health State Hospital grounds discovered a man who had been electrocuted while trying to steal copper, according to authorities.

Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said the discovery happened Sunday morning on the grounds of the old State Hospital property off of Bull Street in downtown Columbia.

Anthony Williams, 39, of Columbia was found hanging by a harness strapped to a frame holding electrical transformers approximately 20 feet in the air. It appears he was attempting to steal copper from the transformers, the coroner said.

Williams' body may have been there for a couple of days, according to Watts.

more ...http://www.kctv5.com/story/21672790/coroner-tourist-finds-man-electrocuted-trying-to-steal-copper

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. Thought this was going to be from . . .

good ole Northeast KC. (Sickly grin.)

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. LOL me too.

But Northeast has been fairly calm lately.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

21. Budd Park is a bit quieter . . .

Now that we're officially a 'hot spot'. Lots more patrols. Hope they keep it up.

[oldhippie]

2. He was shocked, ...

.... SHOCKED, I tell ya.

[siligut]

3. Just so sad

He wasn't educated and he couldn't make an honest living.

[shanti]

11. you're too kind

i'm thinking it was meth freaks looking to finance their habit.

[siligut]

15. I also considered that I need to put a lock on my crawlspace hatch

And you drive that point home, addicts are stupid as a result of their addiction. That is sad too, but I don't want to lose my pipes feeling sorry for people who would steal from me.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Have authorities filed charges?

[SidDithers]

5. "Richland County Coroner Gary Watts"...

Appropriate.

Sid

[DreamGypsy]

6. Stealing electricity...his heart went d-da, d-da, d-da, d-da, d-da

A classic reflection on life and love by Tom Russell:

We climb so high in search of a kindred soul
Till we grab hold of a live wire up on a high line pole
The laws of nature say you get nothing for free
And love is like stealing electricity

[Webster Green]

7. Live transformers might not be the best place to steal copper from.

It's hard to believe anyone could be so stupid.

[edbermac]

8. Copping copper clappers?

[bluestate10]

13. In a way, it is fortunate that a guy trying to steal discovered a charge on the

transformers. Imagine what would have happened had a group of children got into the location that the would be thief was in?

[Poll_Blind]

20. That was FANTASTIC! Thank you so much, I'd never seen it. nt

PB

[shanti]

9. seems like a common cause of death

for copper thieves. we have a LOT of them around here in sacramento. they are bold, and will do it in broad daylight by wearing construction gear and pretending to be workers. they even brought down the light rail one time!

[LAGC]

10. 2013 Darwin Awards getting of to a great start...

[Nye Bevan]

12. Before stealing copper wire from a high-voltage electrical circuit,

ensure that the power has been turned off at the main circuit-breaker.

[bluestate10]

14. Power turned off, prevented from being turned back on and residual charge, discharged.

For some reason, I don't think the guy that died considered those steps and may have not had the training to consider them.

[Mariana]

16. Yeah, "lock-out, tag-out" probably wasn't in his vocabulary. nt.

[badtoworse]

17. Don't forget to apply the temporary grounds

[olddots]

19. this is about poverty in America .

I worked construction sites and people try to steal copper pipe and wire all the time .

[JanMichael]

22. incredibly sad

we are so third world now...this poor guy needed money for something.... either bills or a habit