Cy-Fair utility worker accused of beating up homeowner

A Cy-Fair utility worker is accused of mistakenly turning off a Harris County man’s electricity and then beating up the homeowner.

Robert C. McLeod filed a lawsuit Jan. 31 in Harris County District Court against Clabe Holmes III and DigCo Utility Construction LP.

According to the complaint, McLeod returned home from a day of fishing in September 2010 to find his electricity had been shut off. When he went to his backyard to see why it was not working, McLeod says he met Holmes, wearing a uniform and carrying a ladder. Holmes told McLeod he had a work order from Center Point Energy Company to disconnect the electricity.

McLeod says Holmes refused to identify himself so he called 911 to report an intruder in his backyard. At that point, the utility worker allegedly slammed the ladder into McLeod, knocking the homeowner unconscious. When he regained consciousness, McLeod says Holmes was gone, so he called police again.

According to the complaint, further investigation into Center Point and DigCo Utility records showed the utility worker had disconnected the electricity at the wrong address.

McLeod accuses Holmes and DigCo Utility Construction of negligence. He is asking for more than $50,000 from each to compensate for medical expenses, lost wages and court costs.

Attorney Scott R. Brann, of Houston, is representing McLeod.

Harris County District Court Case No. 2011-06437.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Harris County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.