The timing could not have been any worse as a snow storm slammed Mid-Michigan Thursday. Nearly 2,000 people lost power, and it wasn't the storm's fault.
Someone shot the power out.
Consumers Energy is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible.
Taymouth Township's Edward Diamond checked on his mother-in-law who lost power Thursday night around 6:45PM. "Pretty bad for her. She couldn't make coffee or nothing," says Diamond.
The Saginaw County Sheriff wants to find the person or persons who shot the insulators off utility poles in Taymouth Township. He also wants to know why. "Is it someone doing target practice or is it someone who has a vendetta against Consumers? Is it someone who had intentions to knock out power for people in the area?" asks Sheriff William Federspiel.
Consumers crews spent 19-hours replacing the mushroom-shaped protective devices and four cross arms. They had a tough time getting to the damage.
Consumers spokesperson Mary Kulis says, "The damage happened in a very swampy area so we can't easily access the equipment with bucket trucks. Instead, our men have to climb 65 foot poles to make the repairs."
The sheriff's department says a rifle, shotgun, handgun, or combination of all of them were used.
Detectives are looking for shell casings and bullet fragments.
Consumers says the everyone should have power now.
The outage also affected Burt, Montrose, Chesaning, St. Charles, and Saginaw.
