A Twiggs County man found inside the fence of an electrical power station is facing multiple charges following his recent arrest.
Barry Dewayne Hasty, 47, was arrested Feb. 19 and charged with theft by taking misdemeanor, possession of tools for commission of a crime, criminal trespass, obstruction of law enforcement officers (misdemeanor), second-degree burglary (felony) and first-degree criminal damage to property.
The theft of copper wiring and pipes causes thousands of dollars in damage to churches, businesses and residences and seems to be a nationwide epidemic.
The report of Hasty’s arrest by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Richard Langston, states he was dispatched to Highway 49 following a report of someone stealing cooper wire from the EMC substation.
Langston said when he arrived at the location, there was no vehicle, and he started checking the locks on the gates. The deputy said he did not see any signs of tampering, so his next step was checking the fence line.
The deputy said, as he reached the backside of the fence line, he noticed a black tool bag about three feet from the edge of the fence. As he got closer to it, Langston noticed a large hole cut in the fence. The excess of the fence was pushed inward.
The deputy said he climbed through the fence to check for additional damage and if the offender was still there. He said while checking the wires connected to the transformers, he noticed more tools on the ground.
Langston said he walked around the edge of the transformer and saw a man lying on the ground, attempting to hide from him. He said the man had several tools, including a pair of bolt cutters within reach.
The deputy said he gave the man instructions to be taken into custody, but he did not move. Langston said he unholstered his taser and gave him a warning, then the suspect complied.
The man was placed in the backseat of the patrol vehicle, and he was identified. The deputy said Hasty voluntarily told him a friend had dropped him off.
Langton said he returned to the fence and went back inside searching for anyone else who may be on the scene. No more suspects were found, but the deputy did find more tools. He also found freshly cut wires and areas around the transformers where ground wires were missing. A pile of copper grounding wire was also found outside the fence, near his patrol vehicle.
Langston said the power company was notified, and a lineman came to the scene. He said the lineman told him the ungrounded transformers made the area very volatile, and no one should go inside the fence.
Hasty was transported to the Jones County Law Enforcement Center by Langston, and all the tools were logged into evidence. The deputy said the case was turned over to JCSO Investigator Barron Hall.
