Consumers Energy utility worker killed in June crash honored through statewide effort

[CPOPE]

JACKSON, MI – Jeffery Creel's death could have been prevented if the driver who hit him simply paid attention, Creel’s wife Robin said Thursday afternoon.

Creel, a journeyman line worker for Consumers Energy, was struck by a vehicle June 22 on Homer Road in Fayette Township near Jonesville while he was responding to a report of a downed power line. He later died at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo.

Benjamin Anspaugh, 61, of Jonesville, has been charged with a moving violation causing death in a work zone – a felony carrying a maximum of 15 years in prison and fines up to $7,500 –and is due in Hillsdale County Court on Dec. 19, according to the prosecutor’s office.

“I won’t ever understand how this man hit my husband,” said Robin Creel, who lives in Montgomery in Hillsdale County. “I feel people that are driving are not paying attention and they don’t look for things around them.”

This week, the House Energy and Technology Committee heard emotional testimony from family and friends of Creel during a presentation of House Resolution 330, which was introduced to declare Dec. 6 as “Utility Worker Safety Awareness Day.”

The goal of the resolution is to better educate the public about the need to slow down and go around utility workers who are working on the road.

Robin Creel, who had four children with her husband, said this resolution is near and dear to her heart.

“Utility workers… should be protected just like police and fireman,” she said. “They are all doing a good job to help people. Jeff worked with a lot of good men, and I pray for their safety every day.”

The resolution was introduced by primary sponsor state Rep. Ken Horn, R-Frankenmuth, who was assisted by the Hastings Grassroots team to have it developed.

“This resolution was brought about because our co-workers got involved and spoke with legislators about the need to heighten awareness,” said Dan Malone, senior vice president of distribution and customer operations for Consumers Energy, who also provided testimony at the hearing. “As a result, they didn’t just do something good for their headquarters, department or even our company, but, for all utility workers in Michigan.”

Frank Coolbaugh, who was Jeffery Creel’s best friend and co-worker, said it was very gratifying for he and Robin Creel to be at the committee hearing on Tuesday.

“I don’t want his death to be in vain,” Coolbaugh said about Creel. “It was quite a tragedy. For this to happen was a very big shock for everybody involved. People need be aware that we’re out here.”

[Street Lighter]

Dealing with electricity is the least of our worries .

Since Jeff's death , the company has spent over 2 million retrofitting each field vehicle with LED strobes . Even in the daylight they are bright .

About a month ago , 2 of our crews responded to a car / pole . ( driver was texting ) 1 span up from an intersection on 4 lane city street . Early evening ( it was dark ) 3 trucks , strobes a blazin', everyone had their vests on , signs set out . The crew leader was setting cones towards the intersection to block off the lane . The only thing that saved him was his reaction to the sound of the cone he had just set , being run over by some idiot woman wanting to make the turn . Maybe an inch . WTF !!!!

One fact of Jeff's investigation was from the time the truck had stopped to when the emergency button was pushed ....less than 2 minutes .

Be careful out there .

[Viperexaf]

i just got back from new jersey this last saturday from doing storm clean up for jersey central and up there, the police had the monopoly when it come to flagging or if you needed a lane shut down then they was it, if they seen ya not using a flagger or flaggin then they would shut the job down, i'm sure this lineman wasn't on a crew and was a troubleman but fact remains one man truck or crew it could happen to any of us working on the side of the road, just seemed not a bad idea to me when i was out there, people aren't so quick to see how fast and how close they can get to ya if one of the city's finest was there watching.

[230kv_barehand]

It's a f*cking joke how little people pay attention these days. By the grace of God I'm here because he saved me from an idiot that blew through an intersection through two flaggers and ran me over. If I didn't have that split second to jump to my left he would have ran me all the way over and he even kept going like he didn't even hit me, even though my knees centered his bumper and there is no way he didn't see me. It's just amazing HOW LITTLE people pay attention behind the wheel.