HOUSTON – After KPRC 2 aired a story about a group of Rice Military homeowners left with a nearly $20,000 repair bill after an 18-wheeler brought down power lines in their neighborhood, another viewer reached out saying the exact same thing happened to him.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Trucking company refuses to pay after 18-wheeler knocks down powerlines, costing Rice Military family $20K
Anthony Turco, who lives just blocks away in the Cottage Grove neighborhood, says a semi-truck struck a utility pole near his home almost a year ago.
The damage caused a power outage, and while CenterPoint Energy replaced the pole, Turco says he was told it was his responsibility to pay for the connection from the pole to his house.
“Almost a year ago, an 18-wheeler took the turn right here and cut the pole in two,” Turco said. “Thankfully, it didn’t fall on the house. That would’ve been even worse. But yeah, it’s a big problem in our neighborhood.”
Turco says he had to hire an electrician to restore power to his home, a repair that cost $3,500 and he’s now on an 18-month payment plan, paying $200 a month.
“Obviously it’s not my fault,” he said. “I didn’t do anything. An 18-wheeler came through here, damaged CenterPoint property, and I ended up paying for a big part of it.”
Turco’s story mirrors that of Dana Davis and her neighbors in Rice Military, who say they were without power for five days after a different 18-wheeler brought down power lines. In their case, they collectively paid nearly $20,000 to restore electricity.
Like Davis, Turco says he received no help from the trucking company involved and believes the city needs to take action.
“They should install ‘No Thru Trucks’ signs,” he said. “It’s a big problem here. Our streets are too narrow for big rigs. Almost every month, I have to help an 18-wheeler back up and turn around. I’m always on the lookout now, just to stop something bad from happening again.”
In a statement to KPRC 2, CenterPoint Energy confirmed it responded to the outage in Turco’s case and replaced its own equipment. However, it emphasized that damage to customer-owned equipment is not their responsibility if the damage is caused by a third party.
“While we understand the frustration and burden placed on the customers as a result of this incident, CenterPoint is not responsible for damage to customer-owned equipment caused by a third party unrelated to CenterPoint’s operations.”
Turco says he understands CenterPoint’s position but still feels stuck.
“They can argue that it’s not their fault,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s me paying for it every month.”
Both Davis and Turco are frustrated that no one is being held accountable for the damages caused by truck drivers. In Davis’s case, she has hired an attorney who is now working with the trucking company’s insurance provider to seek reimbursement.
As for Turco, he says the damage, both financial and emotional, has been lasting.
“When I saw the story on TV, I was like, wow… it brought back PTSD,” he said. “It’s happening too often. Something needs to change before someone gets seriously hurt.”
Residents in both neighborhoods say without clearer signage and stricter enforcement, the problem will only get worse.
