Mankind has created spectacular works of art, engineered incredibly tall buildings, designed impressive supercomputers, lived in outerspace, discovered cures for nasty diseases. As a whole, nothing can compare to human intelligence, but sometimes, humans get charged up with the prospect of making a buck.

MAN ELECTROCUTED WHILE ALLEGEDLY STEALING COPPER

Dec 22 2006 - Tyler Morning Telegraph
A Longview man who authorities suspect was trying to steal copper from a downed power line was electrocuted Thursday.

Robert Boyd Southard Jr., 37, was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Sam Lawson, who ordered an autopsy, said Capt. Ken Hartley, Gregg County Sheriff's Department public information officer.

Downey Glenn Casey, 37, a Longview man who was with Southard, was charged Friday with attempted theft more than $500, Hartley said. His bond was set at $5,000.

Hartley said Southard was killed around 4:20 p.m. when he apparently grabbed a power line dangling from an electric pole in a pasture near Interstate 20 and Texas Highway 31.

Casey called for help from a pay phone and led emergency authorities and deputies to the site, Hartley said.

"Sheriff's investigators ... observed where the subjects had used a tool to cut sections of a fallen power line," Hartley said. "The subjects had crossed over a four-strand barbed wire fence to gain entry onto the property where the incident took place."

The line was being used to run electricity to oil field equipment.