Police have arrested the man accused of tampering with natural gas equipment that resulted in an outage that impacted 2,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customers in Gonzales on Tuesday.Gonzales police confirmed that officers arrested Juan Lopez Gomez, 54, on Tuesday.PG&E said its crews observed a pressure change on its gas distribution system in Gonzales shortly before 3 a.m. on Tuesday. The utility determined someone not affiliated with the company entered its facility and tampered with equipment, resulting in the outage.Police said PG&E crews on the scene provided officers with a description of the suspect. That description helped officers track down Lopez by Tuesday afternoon, according to police.Officers said the suspect told them he was “trying to fix the lines.” Lopez was booked into the Monterey County Jail in Salinas. He now faces a felony count of damaging a gas pipe or main, trespassing, possession of a controlled substance, and a probation violation.As of 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, PG&E said 215 customers were still without natural gas service. A company spokesperson said crews have visited those addresses two to four times and have been unable to relight their pilot lights.PG&E said crews will make one final stop at the remaining addresses Wednesday evening. Customers who do not respond will have to call PG&E to schedule a crew to come out to relight their pilot light, according to a company spokesperson.Officials have warned people against relighting their own pilot light. “Let PG&E light it for you due to safety concerns!” warned the city in a social media post on Tuesday.
Police have arrested the man accused of tampering with natural gas equipment that resulted in an outage that impacted 2,000 Pacific Gas & Electric customers in Gonzales on Tuesday.
Gonzales police confirmed that officers arrested Juan Lopez Gomez, 54, on Tuesday.
PG&E said its crews observed a pressure change on its gas distribution system in Gonzales shortly before 3 a.m. on Tuesday. The utility determined someone not affiliated with the company entered its facility and tampered with equipment, resulting in the outage.
Police said PG&E crews on the scene provided officers with a description of the suspect. That description helped officers track down Lopez by Tuesday afternoon, according to police.
Officers said the suspect told them he was “trying to fix the lines.”
Lopez was booked into the Monterey County Jail in Salinas.
He now faces a felony count of damaging a gas pipe or main, trespassing, possession of a controlled substance, and a probation violation.
As of 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, PG&E said 215 customers were still without natural gas service. A company spokesperson said crews have visited those addresses two to four times and have been unable to relight their pilot lights.
PG&E said crews will make one final stop at the remaining addresses Wednesday evening.
Customers who do not respond will have to call PG&E to schedule a crew to come out to relight their pilot light, according to a company spokesperson.
Officials have warned people against relighting their own pilot light.
“Let PG&E light it for you due to safety concerns!” warned the city in a social media post on Tuesday.
Read More:Suspect accused of causing natural gas outage in Gonzales identified
2022-03-03 01:50:00