The family of a 28-year-old Texas City lineman who was fatally shocked while working on CenterPoint Energy’s electric system is suing the utility, alleging his crew had been told the lines were de-energized when they were actually live.
The lawsuit alleges CenterPoint and Cooper’s employer, Power Contracting LLC, failed to follow basic safeguards for high-voltage work, including accurately identifying and de-energizing lines and confirming they were safe before the crew began working. CenterPoint said it does not comment on pending litigation.
Cooper, 28, and his crew were working on lines they had been told were de-energized but were instead live, the lawsuit alleges. While setting new poles, Cooper operated a switch and came into contact with an energized line, according to the lawsuit. Three crew members were injured while trying to pull him away, including one who remained hospitalized, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit claims CenterPoint was negligent and grossly negligent for failing to “exercise reasonable care with the extraordinary dangers of high-voltage electricity, including the duty to accurately identify and de-energize its lines before representing them as dead, to issue accurate maps, switching orders, and clearances, and to maintain its switching equipment in safe working condition.”
Power Contracting LLC, an electrical infrastructure contractor affiliated with Pike Corporation and Cooper’s employer, was hired by CenterPoint Energy and is also named in the lawsuit.
In an email, Buzbee said he has sued CenterPoint “far too many times for far too many widows.”
“This should never have happened,” Buzbee said. “Ryne was an incredible husband, wonderful father, great friend, and amazing human. Our job now is to do what we can to prevent this from happening again and taking care of his widow and two children.”
A CenterPoint Energy spokesperson said it the company was “dedicated to providing safe and reliable electric service to the 2.9 million customers we are privileged to serve across Greater Houston.”
“We are aware of the lawsuit and don’t comment on pending litigation,” the spokesperson said in a written statement.
Cooper’s family is seeking monetary relief, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges Power Contracting LLC “instructed and permitted its crew to work the line as if it were dead without independently testing for the absence of voltage, installing protective grounds, or verifying and confirming clearance, in violation of the most basic and universally recognized rules of line work.”
A representative with Power Contracting LLC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cooper’s family created a GoFundMe campaign to help his wife and two sons pay funeral costs, household expenses and other financial obligations. The campaign had raised $144,637 toward its $170,000 goal as of Thursday.