BOURNEVILLE, Ohio – An ongoing investigation is underway after a utility pole was chopped down, and a section of wiring was cut out from a bridge near the Valero gas station in Bourneville.
According to police reports, a deputy was dispatched to the scene where they spoke with Horizon employees who informed them of the damage. The employees explained that their wiring line comes out of the ground at the bridge, connects to a utility pole, crosses the water, and goes back into the ground on the other side.
The deputy observed the wire cut at ground level on the side of the bridge closest to Bourneville, with the utility pole chopped down and lodged against a rock in the water. The wire was also cut on the other side of the bridge, but that utility pole remained intact. A large amount of sheathing was discovered on the bank, some of which Horizon said could be from a previous incident.
An axe, machete, and bolt cutter were found on the bank, along with a size 11 boot print. Photographs were taken, and Horizon was advised to provide an invoice or receipt for the damages. Mud and dirt were found on the items in the shape of a finger or handprint, but no fingerprint characteristics were discovered. It appeared that gloves were used and left behind muddy marks.
The deputy reviewed security camera recordings from Valero between midnight and 3 a.m., but no suspects were seen in the parking lot or near the gas station. The investigation is ongoing, with suspects unknown at this time.
