A suspected copper thief who broke into an AM broadcast tower site was found dead from electrocution by Tulsa County deputies around 10 a.m. Sunday morning. His apparent partner at the scene was critically injured by an electric shock as well and taken to the hospital, reported KRMG-AM, the radio station where the incident occurred.
Deputies said the two men, Albert Badger and Ely Amerson, were trying to steal copper from the transmitter site based on tools found on scene, according to KRMG.
When a station employee went to check why power was cut off at the site he found Badger dead, and holding bolt cutters still attached to an electrical source, according to KOTV in Tulsa. A female accomplice, Angie West, said she was the girlfriend of the man who died and admitted driving the two men to the site to steal copper. She is being held without bond and could be charged as an accessory to murder as a death occured in the act of committing a felony, according to law.
Tower owner, Cox Media Group, released a statement by Tulsa Market Vice President Cathy Gunther: “Early this morning two individuals broke into the KRMG AM transmitter site. It appears they attempted to access a building through a conduit and were electrocuted. One of the individuals is deceased and one was transported to the hospital. From the tools and materials found at the site, it appears that they were attempting to steal copper. The safety of our community is of utmost importance – please do not enter any transmitter site, for any reason, as the area is extremely dangerous.”
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August 6, 2019
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