Rocky Mountain Sues Google Fiber for Drilling Through Power Lines in Utah

Google Fiber and John Does 1-10 drilled through Rocky Mountain Power’s utility lines at a site in Salt Lake City County and damaged them, Rocky Mountain said in an Oct. 3 complaint filed Monday (docket 230907610) in Utah District Court in Salt Lake City. Google Fiber, through its agents, was using power-driven equipment in November to perform excavating and drilling at a site in South Jordan within 24 inches of Rocky Mountain Power’s “properly marked” streetlight utility lines, the complaint alleged. Defendants were negligent for failing to (1) exercise due care in their work, (2) properly notify the proper parties to correctly locate and mark the utility lines after they were hit, (3) observe markings for the underground utility lines in the area, 4) use power-driven excavating equipment within 24 inches of markings for the lines and for (5) striking and damaging the lines, among other claims. Defendants have refused to pay for the damage, which cost plaintiff $2,503.20 in material, labor and transportation. Plaintiff seeks damages plus prejudgment interest of 6.7%.