Posted on 12/23/2009 4:11:00 PM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo
Inside a secured room at the Eagan Police headquarters is the charred and shredded evidence of a near fatal crime. There's not much left of a winter jacket, worn by a 33-year-old St. Paul man.
The alleged copper thief was burned by 69,000 volts of electricity, creating a flash of light in the early morning sky.
"There were also calls of a large flash of light seen from several miles away and a large boom," Eagan Officer Danielle Anselment said.
Police and paramedics responded to several 911 calls of a man who was on fire at the Dakota Electric power substation located in the 1700 block of Deerwood Drive at around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Investigators said David Stachowiak, climbed onto a high-voltage power transformer, after cutting through the sub station's barbed wire topped chain link fence.
Evidence taken from the scene indicates that Stachowiak and possibly two other people were there to steal copper cable.
What doesn't make much sense is the motivation behind the crime. The recession has dropped scrap copper prices substantially. Dakota Electric estimates what the thieves could have made away with at little more than $100.
Other electric utilities are reporting a drop in copper thefts over the past year for that reason. Still, it's a danger at any price.
With a loud crackle and a bright arc, Dakota Electric's safety director demonstrates why.
"This would be electrical contact," said Kevin Fowler, showing the voltage that could occur.
He uses a cart with miniature overhead power lines to teach the dangers of a 12,000-volt electric shock.
The alleged copper thief took more than five times the amount of voltage, along with hundreds of amperes. Fowler said it likely created a ball of intense fire, six to eight feet across.
"It's essentially the same as being put in a microwave oven. It cooks you from the inside out and it will be a lifetime of pain and agony," he said.
Stachowiak was taken to Region's Hospital in St. Paul where he is being treated for severe burns to his torso. He is listed in stable condition.
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Copper is the poor mans gold, no house, streetlight or anything made of copper is safe.
“Could make for one of the most unusual claims on one’s resume: part time 10,000 amp fuse.”
“What was your last job?
Conductor.”
ROTFLMAO
Not really very good at his work is he?
Not the monkey!
Thanks. Great alliteration showcase between the two men, and the wry smile from Webb when he realizes that Carson won the exchange was priceless.
[wipes away tears of laughter]
I found out recently, one of my engineers was shocked by 138,000 Volts about 40 years ago. He was standing on a transformer and touched the top of his head to a live line.
Nicknamed “Ole Scorchy”?
In retrospect, it explains a lot.
I am amazed he is alive. He had current inside his body, it destroyed his stomach lining and has always had problems since. Why he had internal current enough to do that damage and not get his heart; it is hard to understand.
He was in the air force in the time, he wasn’t wearing a hard hat and had direct contact with the top of his head.
A sparky through and through...
He wont have to go to an arraignment as he’s already been charged
He carried around a notepad and tried to write everything down but he couldn't make sense of his notes.
The company was so grateful that he hadn't sued that they were trying desperately to find a job for him, any job that he could perform. Last I saw he was being bounced him from department to department without any success.
He was a heck of a nice guy and it was very sad.
When I worked as a lineman, we had a guy at the shop that worked maintenance. He used to be a lineman but had previously gotten burned pretty bad on his arms and legs from 12,470V line. He had reduced strength and couldn’t stand for long periods of time. Most of his damage was surface or muscular in his limbs.
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