New Attack On PG&E Worker As Latest Round Of Power Shutoffs Begins
SANTA ROSA (CBSSF/CBS13) — As power was shut off for the first of nearly 180,000 Northern California residents with a second round of preventive power outages Wednesday afternoon, PG&E's CEO confirmed another attack on a utility worker in the Central Valley.
The public safety power shutoff began in the foothills at around 2 p.m. amid a Red Flag Warning and wildfire weather conditions.
During an early evening press conference, utility CEO Bill Johnson said that an employee in Glenn County was targeted in what appeared to be a deliberate attack.
READ: Amador County Braces For Another PG&E Power Shutoff
"The employee was driving a PG&E vehicle when a projectile hit the front passenger window. Our security team believes that projectile was a pellet from a pellet gun," said Johnson.
He went on to say that the employee was not injured, but he said that PG&E security and local law enforcement were investigating the incident before making a plea on behalf of workers in the field.
"Let me say this: there is no justification for this sort of violence. Whenever you see any of our crews anywhere in your community, they're there to help," said Johnson. They're specifically there to help you. They're not anonymous strangers; they're your neighbors. They're your friends. Most of of our front line employees live in the communities where they work."
Johnson echoed a statement made by Governor Gavin Newsom, asking that customers be angry with PG&E, but not the utility's employees.
