Patterson Cemetery District, Stanislaus County, CA 

Submitted by Gale Stroud and Burta Herger 26 Aug 2007

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Hoffman James M 810108 np
Man Killed in Fall from Tower; A fatal fall from a power line tower shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday near the Interstate 5
Crows Landing exit claimed the life of a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Worker. Stanislaus County sheriff's deputies who
arrived at the scene found James Mark Hoffman, 29, dead from a fall.  Hoffman, who lived in Fresno, was a part of a
PG&E crew which was repairing vandalized power line equipment. Hoffman climbing a 200 foot power line tower with
another crew member when the support arm he was using gave way.  He fell 150 feet and apparently was killed instantly,
according to the county coroner's report. In addition to the sheriff's parol unit, the Patterson ambulance and Mediflight
helicopter from Modesto were dispatched to the accident scene.  The PG&E foreman of the crew administered cardiac
pulmonary resuscitation before the emergency units arrived. Hoffman's body was taken to Modesto.

Hoffman James M 810122 np
PG&E Reward Set for Killed Lineman; Pacific Gas - and Electric Company has offered a $2,500 reward for information
leading to the arrest and conviction of the person whose vandalism west of Crows Landing cost the life of a PG&E
workman January 4.   James Mark Hoffman, 29, of Fresno, died after he fell 100 feet from a tower on the 500,000-volt
transmission system.  The episode occurred near Fink Road, west of Interstate 5 near Crows Landing.  Hoffman was part
of a crew repairing damage caused by gunfire.  Six large insulators had been shattered and a cross-arm on an adjacent
tower had been damaged due to the vandalism. The Fresno-based crew was nearing completion of the repairs when
Hoffman moved onto a tower cross-arm, intending to secure the upper end of an insulator string to the arm.  The arm
buckled when Hoffman was about halfway out on the arm.  He died of internal injuries suffered in the fall.   The
vandalism incident was not an isolated episode, according to Paul D. Elias, manager of PG&E s Stanislaus District, based
in Modesto. "The damage these people cause endangers the lives of PG&E employees who must make the repairs," Elias
said.  "The inescapable fact of this tragedy is that James Hoffman would not have been on that tower if someone had not
used those insulators for target practice.  We are confident that the authorities will prosecute vigorously if the responsible
party is identified."  Elias said vandals endanger their own lives when they shoot at power lines which may fall on them.
Live, fallen lines also are a fire hazard. Those who have information on the vandalism that led to Hoffman s death are
urged to contact the Stanislaus County Sheriff s Department.  They may also call Kenneth J. Rodriguez, PG&E manager
in Newman at 862-2891.