OWASSO, Okla. — An Owasso homeowner found herself in a dangerous situation on June 26, when a cable line, left lying across her backyard after a new utility pole was installed, unexpectedly struck her while she was mowing the lawn.
Brenda Montgomery, who has been mowing her yard the same way for 20 years, recalled the shocking incident as she was minding her business.
"I'm looking down, right? And it got me in the head… it lifted like it was bucking," she said, describing the moment the low-hanging cable caught her off guard.
Montgomery stated that after the line hit her, she managed to free herself but still ended up needing urgent care.
“They gave me a steroid shot, and it feels better… but I keep thinking about it when I go to sleep. I thought I was going to die,” she said.
In a video Montgomery sent to 2 News, a Cox Communications employee acknowledged that the cable line belonged to the company, stating, "Oh no, no... the power's still up. It's our line."
When she inquired about the responsibility for the downed pole, the employee indicated that Verdigris Valley Electric Company (VVEC) would need to be contacted, leading to further confusion.
After making numerous calls to both Cox and Verdigris Valley without receiving clear answers, Montgomery contacted 2 News Problem Solvers.
“Monday, no call, no show. Tuesday, same for me and my neighbor,” she said.
She expressed her frustration over feeling trapped in her own backyard.
“My German Shepherds can reach because it's very low, and I’m afraid that my pup is going to bite into it. So, I basically feel like a prisoner,” she said.
When 2 News visited Montgomery on Tuesday, the cable line was still lying across her yard.
2 News Problem Solvers attempted to reach both Cox and VVEC, with Verdigris Valley explaining that the repair delays were attributed to recent storms and that they were waiting on Cox since the cable line was their responsibility. Cox declined to provide any comments for the story.
Ultimately, Montgomery placed blame on both companies.
“I blame both,” she said.
By July 2, the situation began to improve as crews were finally seen putting up the cable line, allowing Montgomery to return to her normal mowing routine.
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