MEXIA, Texas — A Mexia woman said she is seeking reimbursement from a semi-truck driver who she said broke a telephone pole by striking a low-hanging wire and knocking out power to her grandmother's home.
On Wednesday, Aug. 16, that woman, who did not disclose her name or go on camera for personal safety reasons, said that just after 10 a.m. she was woken up by "a loud vibration" and "a flash of light" before her power immediately shut off.
"All my electricity was out, my meter was literally hanging on the ground," the woman said.
Both a city inspector with the City of Mexia and ONCOR told the woman that replacing the meter box was "(her) responsibility because it was on (her) property."
Without power at her grandmother's home, she was left with no choice.
The woman said she paid between $300 and $350 to replace the meter box and front the reconnection fee to get her home back on the grid.
"I have three children; a son, a daughter going back to college and another daughter," the woman said. "That's grocery money, money that would go towards the light bill that I wouldn't have anymore."
According to the woman, the City of Mexia's explanation for why she had to foot the bill was because "the meter box on your house is your responsibility."
"He told me 'that's just the way it is' and he was just really rude," the woman said. "I posted about the crash on Facebook and when he came out he told me he didn't appreciate me slandering the city online."
While staying at her grandmother's house, the woman said her stepfather and son had to put the physical meter box back on her South Bonham St. home.
The woman said she filed a police report and was told to pursue damages from either the truck company of the driver responsible or ONCOR.
"I was told if it's not the driver's fault and the powerlines were too low then it's an ONCOR problem to be settled between ONCOR and the driver," she said.
The woman said that semi-trucks typically don't go down Bonham Street, but rather use the intersection of Tyler Street and South McKinney Street.
The woman said power was finally restored the next day, Thursday, Aug. 17, after she called ONCOR requesting a utility truck for maintenance on the downed line and meter box.
"What the City told me is I could go to a City Council meeting and request for there to be signs put up on the street for trucks not to come through here," the woman said.
The woman said her grandmother is trying to get reimbursed for the damages that occurred and has hired an attorney to pursue them, rather than making a claim on her grandmother's home insurance.
As of Wednesday, Aug. 23, the woman said her grandmother's attorney has not contacted the city, but there is a police report on file of the incident.
Now she's waiting to get information from the driver of the semi-truck to pursue reimbursement for the damages.
6 News reached out to the City of Mexia last week and Wednesday morning and was told "A report was taken and the City is going to look into the incident."
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