First Fatality Arrives After NC Power Substation Sabotage

The “intentional vandalism” of Moore County, North Carolina has now turned deadly.

Over the weekend, a number of power substations came under fire in the county, causing an incredible amount of damage and plunging over 40,000 residents into complete darkness.  The “vandalism” was so severe that experts believed it could be Thursday before power was restored to all those who were affected.

Now, as authorities continue to investigate the motives and persons involved, a tragic new twist to the tale arrives.

One Moore County resident died during the massive power outage that occurred Saturday night after the substations were attacked.

Officials confirmed that the resident was at their Pinehurst home and without power when they died; however, investigators are still working to determine whether the death was related to the power outage or if it was just a normal medical condition that caused the death.

The news could have a profound effect on the legal ramifications of the attack.

If the blackout is to blame for the death, the criminal case and charges could be different for whoever is found responsible for attacking the substations.

“There are a lot of different angles law enforcement will have in front of them,” said Irving Joyner, a law professor at NC Central University.

Experts would go on to suggest that, should the death be attributed to the outage, that those who vandalized the substations could be tried for second-degree murder and their sentences could stretch to life in jail.