Great Lakes 4x4. The largest offroad forum in the Midwest banner

Consumers

5K views 66 replies 33 participants last post by  Krackerracing 
#1 · (Edited)
Sorry in advance for the long read


Have any of you guys had issues with consumers energy? A little background Info on my issue. December 2011, two months after moving into our new home I caught the meter reader entering into my pole barn. He had no idea anyone was home because my gf had taken the car to work and it was my day off. I heard my house alarm go off (dogs), so I went downstairs to see what was up. As he was reading the meter he was so concerned with the dog that he never noticed me standing in the window, I watched him as he walked into my pole barn looked all around and then peeked into a portable carport where our other dog zeus was in his running kennel. Well Zeus does not like strangers when me or the gf are not around and jumped towards him barking and showing teeth still in his cage. By now I am outside going to confront this guy and see why he is snooping around, I asked him what exactly he thought he was doing, his response was "my job". I told him to leave immediately or I was calling the police. He gets back in his vehicle and proceeds to leave. 10-15 minutes later 8 fully armed police officers surround my house and blow through the door. They threw me on the floor and hand cuffed me and walked me to a cruiser, never read me my rights or told me why I was being arrested. After getting to the county jail, I am told that I am being charged with assault with a deadly weapon because my dog attacked the utility personnel. (even though he was in his cage?) I got there on a Thursday at 1:35 pm, sat all there all weekend long in a drunk tank only to have the sheriff come personally let me out and apologize for this "minor misunderstanding" and that I was free to go and all charges had been dropped.. Consumers would take no responsibility because I had no solid proof he was snooping around. so as a result of me being a "threat" to them, they had me sign a contract with them saying they would not come on my property with out police escorts or 24 hrs notice except for an emergency. I agreed and since then have been reading my own meter read and sending it in. I now have 18 cameras covering every inch of my home and property. as of december they have been violating the contract and having a reader come out even after I have sent them a correct and accurate read. Well two days ago they came for the January read,( didn't know they were coming and found foot prints and tire tracks) immediately check the DVR and now i have the worker on camera, name tag and all walking around the back of my house to the back door and wiggle the handle (always locked with deadbolt and chain on top of the handle lock) then walk along the opposite side of my house peeking into the windows along the side of my house and in the garage windows.

I've already contacted the sheriffs department and made reports, they have a copy of the video as well. An are pressing charges.

My question is, is there anything more I can do towards consumers itself. Like property damages from when they cut the power after the first incident because im a "threat" and all the pipes froze then burst when they thawed causing major water damage? The money I spent for jail fees, compensation/lost wages for the decent job I had and lost because of no call no shows while sitting in a drunk tank. Or what about the cost of having my dog impounded and fees to get him out.

If you guys have any ideas or suggestions, I'm open to them.

Also I was never charged with anything and there was no evidence against me and now that I have him on camera, is that gonna help anything besides getting him nailed with some charges?
 
See less See more
#3 ·
i hate comsumer that never send bill out in time and the shut me off with not notice several time ( like ever 3 months ) i have a two yeah old boy and thay cut the power with no notice when it was like 10 degrees out . buy the time thay got back to turn it on it was 40 in the house . thay shut it off over $40-50 .
 
#34 ·
He is a spelling and grammar nazi.
He is assuming that you're not smart enough to realize dating your sister is wrong.

I hope I was able to construe my interpretation of his post to you correctly.

p.s. don't stoop to his level. Go for the jugular and make death threats. It is the appropriate response.

:popcorn:
well making fun of some one who has Developmental reading/writing disorder. these people are part of the reason the world is so fucked up
 
#61 ·
well making fun of some one who has Developmental reading/writing disorder. these people are part of the reason the world is so fucked up
Holy fuck!

Listen, I am 1 of the nicest guys on this forum. So I'm going to give you a small piece of advice.
Don't be so sensitive and never give any ammunition!!!!!
 
#7 ·
Damn, i'd include those damages in any settlement. because it was their negligence that started it in the first place

honestly though, good luck getting anything positive to come for you of this. I've heard multiple stories (true ones) about situations like this and nothing ever got done about it; i'm sure consumers just fires the employee or "suspends" them and calls it good
 
#12 ·
somehow I feel like part of this story is missing.

A caged dog barking at a utility reader doesn't typically end up in multiple armed policemen storming your house cuffing you stuffing you and giving you no explanation......

That said, the meter reader is clearly snooping around (you have it on camera).....get a LAWYER and make sure you hire him from a building, not from the gl4x4 pub, and sue the shit out of them.
 
#14 ·
That sucks. But like Kickstand said, there seems to be something missing to the story to make quite a bit armed officers show up, barge in, and take you in.

I would talk to an attorney, tell them the whole story, and see what they think. But I would think Consumer has their own lawyers that will shit all over you if you try and sue them IMO
 
#26 ·
Let me clarify this a little more, I no longer live in holt, I live in Bellevue, which is in eaton county. The meter is on the front of the house. The reason they stormed the house no questions asked is because Zeus is a pit and the reader told them that I refused to let him do his job and i told zeus to attack and would not call him off. The Sargent told me that they consider any dog told to attack a deadly weapon and respond to it as that and that my dog had actually bitten him, and it did not matter if he was in his cage or not because I should have had complete control of him. I wasn't let out on bail or bond or pr bond. I was just free to go because there was no evidence of a bite on him. I took a copy of the police report to the local Bellevue police which i live just out of there jurisdiction, and asked there opinion of why this happened like that. The chief said that because he was a utility worker and I was an apparent threat to him as far as they knew, they are required to respond like that. He also said that because I would not give a statement to any of them ( right to remain silent) this might have irritated the officers.

I know consumers has expensive lawyers and I'll probably never get much from them, but more or less
My question is do I have a right to sue the police department, false arrest, police brutality, damages caused by there neglect. Or is it a civil suit where I need to take the employee to court for personal damages?

Also I know the arresting officer no longer works there and was let go after someone else had made several complaints of brutality and harassment.

I know this is a public forum and not the best place for this type of advice, but I want opinions on what you would do in this situation? Should I just drop it and let it go, and continue on with the charges of the guy on camera.

Also I can't post the video as of right now for legal purposes. But once is said and done I will.
 
#36 · (Edited)
Yellow quotes: So how the fuck long ago did this happen?

Red quotes: So you want to sue the city/police/officer because they were told you told a pit to attack a meter reader(a felony), you refused to respond to the charge(as is your right) and then after they investigated they realized you were innocent and released you?

It sounds to me the police did everything they were supposed to. If your wife/kid/family member was threatened wouldn't you want it investigated to the fullest extent and have the person who threatened detained instead of out and about?
 
#28 ·
assaulting a utility worker is a felony, working in the city cutting peoples gas some people get mad for getting caught stealing and will assault or threaten us workers. That being said it is sad that his word agaist your originally end up the way that it did. the cops should of talked to you but with the new law they that it all seriously unless proven other wise. now that you have proof, take that next step. good luck
 
#33 ·
There is a phone number on Consumers Energy's website. Call it. Or use Facebook. It is monitored (that is a hint).

For those of you on here that claim you "didn't get a bill on time" you can pay it online. What does Verizon do if you don't pay your bill on time?
 
#39 ·
Im asking if I can seeing as I was falsely arrested and thrown to the ground, tossed around like a rag doll. I was never told why or what I was being arrested, never read my rights to me. Just thrown down, hand cuffed, dragged by two large police officers to a cruiser and taken to the jail. Where after I was in the drunk tank they came and told me why I was arrested, and would have to wait for a judge. He was never bitten and the dog was in a cage the entire time, in an area the meter reader had no business being. I did nothing wrong at all which is why I would not give a statement, until my lawyer was present, whom I never got to see or talk to the entire time I sat in a drunk tank.
 
#40 ·
the police may have went over board, but with what was reported, they were acting on that,
go after Consumers, with a lawyer, good chance that guy would get fired. snooping, and making a false report about being attacked, and yes they have high paid lawyers, my guess is with the video you have, and the police report, they would rather pay you a quick settlement then paying their lawyers several days in court.
 
#41 ·
I think somewhere here there is a lesson to be learned about owning Pit Bulls.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a dog lover, but if your lab barked at the guy, none of this would have happened, and there would be a lot more attention on the idiot in your yard.
I am not trying to say Pits are evil, or start that debate, it's not about how you or I see them, but the other 90% of society who will over-react and turn everything on the Pit in any situation.
Also a lawyer buddy of mine taught me a long time ago he documents well, and reacts first will always be in the best position. I know you have cameras now, but if the first time you took pictures even with your cell phone, and then you called the Police, he would have been the one slammed to the ground, locked up and investigated.
We don't always take the time to document and make call to the Police, when it involves our family, property or belongings, but if you snapped a couple of pictures, and you called first how would the whole situation look.
 
#42 ·
I think the best thing to do is start clipping coupons, and paying attention to the Sunday newspapers for your area.

Eventually you will be able to stockpile all the toothbrushes you could ever want.
 
#43 ·
While you are correct in most situations, Which i have since then made sure to document everything. I'm sure even If had pictures the first time I still would have been thrown to the ground and arrested anyways because of the situation. I was never asked my side of what happened until I was already in the jail.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top