Police Charge Passed Out Man With Damaging Gas Regulator Station In Garland
GARLAND (CBSDFW.COM) — Garland police arrested and charged a Dallas man who is responsible for damaging a regulator station Saturday morning, police said.
At approximately 5:30 a.m., the Garland Police and Fire Department responded to a gas leak in the 5300 block of North Garland Road.
Investigators could hear the sound of gas coming from a regulator station located in front of a business. Police said it appeared that several test points were intentionally damaged.
Officers located a bag near the regulator station which contained information identifying 40-year-old Dallas resident Lauro Espinosa Gonzalez.
While investigating the gas leak, police received a call regarding an unconscious person across the street from the regulator station. Officers located and identified the unconscious male as Gonzalez.
Police arrested Gonzalez initially for misdemeanor warrants, but during an investigation police determined Gonzalez was the one responsible for the damage done to the regulator station.
Atmos Energy has since came out with a statement regarding the vandalism at two of their Garland facilities.
"The safety of the public, our employees and our system is Atmos Energy's highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring the safe operation of our system," the statement said. "We ask anyone witnessing vandalism or tampering with a natural gas meter to report them to local authorities immediately."
Atmos Energy's technicians have made the necessary repairs and the precautionary evacuation of several businesses in the area was also lifted.
Gonzalez has been charged with Criminal Mischief Damage to Public Utilities and is currently being held in the Garland Jail.