Detroit man hospitalized from electrical shock after same DTE power line falls for 4th time

This Detroit family says DTE keeps putting a Band-Aid on a very dangerous power line.

"It's not right - I could have lost my life this could have been prevented," said Ralpheon Brady Turner. 

Turner spoke to FOX 2 from his Sinai Grace Hospital bed after he suffered an electrical shock. It happened when a storm blew through Detroit Friday afternoon. A tree fell snapping a power line behind their house on Tracey Street.

The power line began arcing on the family's metal shed near his sister's car and Turner's truck. He says firefighters told him it was safe to move the vehicles.

"I moved the first car and asked if it was okay if I move the truck," he said. "The fire department said it was okay, the line isn't on the truck. So I said okay, and I went to grab the handle and I got shocked.

"After I got shocked they went back there and said it was on the truck. But I had already been shocked from touching the truck. So the truck was live the whole time."

Turner says it took DTE an hour and half to show up. He was rushed to the hospital after suffering chest pains, slight burns on his hand and now blurry vision and a numb leg.

Sadly, he says this is the fourth time the same power line has broken during a storm. 

"The first time it killed our dog," he said. "They paid us $300 for the dog they said we didn't have papers on."

And each time it has fallen, Turner says instead of replacing the line - DTE workers patch it up. This time it started a fire that burned up thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment in their back shed and Turner says could have killed him.

"I feel like it could have been prevented in the first place now they are saying when I get out of the hospital tomorrow to try contact them," he said.

DTE released a statement saying it is working with the family to investigate the situation and their thoughts go out to the family and to the injured man.