CUC assists in investigation of employee

While finishing the installation of a new electric line in Kagman III Sunday afternoon, a lineman from the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) detained a fellow employee while the Operators at the 24-hour Trouble Desk called police for an urgent investigation.

A Power Division employee, Elias E. Sabino, allegedly left the Kagman job site en route to the government-parking compound in Dandan, but reportedly drove an auger truck off Cross-Island Road in the Papago area. (See related story)

After getting the heavy equipment back onto the road, the employee left that scene and drove to Dandan. The CUC Trouble Desk staff quickly called police for assistance while Power Foreman Peter Diaz followed the route, gathering details from Mr. Sabino, and detained him at the compound until police arrived and completed their investigation. Mr. Sabino was arrested.

Mr. Sabino, a nine-year veteran who was once Employee of the Year, has an excellent employment history with the firm, but was placed on suspension Sunday after the one-vehicle accident, according to a CUC statement.

Based on information from the police report, utility employees and citizens who also called police and witnessed the event, Mr. Sabino allegedly skidded off of Cross-Island Road in the Papago area.

He said that he attempted to regain control of the heavy equipment but over-corrected, and ironically hit a power pole — taking out electricity for customers from Papago to San Vicente.

Mr. Diaz, the employee who traced the route and detained Sabino for police, then quickly returned to Papago to restore electrical services. The bonnie trees had to be cut down, and two new power poles were required for safety. After all of this work, electricity was restored at 8:30 Sunday.

Utility officials continue to interview employees, police, and customers to complete the investigation. Said Executive Director Timothy P. Villagomez, “We are proud that other utility employees assisted police and restored services as quickly as possible. The case is out of the hands of CUC; it is a matter for the law now.”

Other utility water-workers, wastewater crews, and officials from the Division of Environmental Quality also reported to Papago where diesel oil was cleaned off of the road. Trees or other objects apparently pierced the fuel tank of the truck when it skidded off of the road.

Power Manager Ben Mesa said, “It was Mr. Sabino’s job to drill holes to erect power poles, and it’s unfortunate for both our customers and staff that he allegedly was involved in an accident that took down a pole and the power. We assure customers that strict policies and procedures are already in place and being used to protect their environment, their electrical services, and their road-way safety.”

More details of the incident are expected to follow in three days when police release more details from its investigation to the utility corporation.