Parents claim improper maintenance after son’s electrocution death near State College
.jpg "Bryce Lowman, 22, died in the State College area on April 29 during a severe storm.")
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- Parents sue FirstEnergy, alleging negligence caused son’s electrocution.
- Complaint cites energized guy wire, bowed pole and overgrown vegetation.
- Suit seeks damages; community raised nearly $13,000 as funeral assistance.
A set of parents filed a lawsuit Monday against electric utility giant FirstEnergy Corp. after their son was fatally electrocuted near his State College area workplace by an energized wire that they argued was not properly maintained.
Mark Lowman and Misty Wiley argued FirstEnergy was negligent in its installation, inspection and maintenance of the guy wire that killed their son in April near the Residence Inn along the 1500 block of University Drive in College Township.
Bryce Lowman, 22, of Franklin County, was working at the hotel when he attempted to extinguish a fire in a mulch bed but was instead fatally electrocuted. The wire, they claimed in the suit, should not have been energized and was not properly insulated.
Guy wires are installed on poles to help support the pole and the weight on it. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, they must either be effectively grounded or have proper insulators to protect people on the ground.
The Lowmans’ attorney further said the electrical pole is bowed due to years of stress and was covered by overgrown vegetation. The hotel is adjacent to an electrical substation owned by West Penn Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy.
The two-count lawsuit is seeking unspecified money damages from the utility company. A FirstEnergy spokesperson declined comment Monday, saying the company is unable to comment on pending litigation.
A message left Monday afternoon with the Lowmans’ attorney was not immediately returned.
Lowman’s death came April 29 during a severe storm that rolled through Centre County. At the time, the National Weather Service warned of wind gusts that could reach 80 mph, and more than 35,000 people in the county lost power from the storm.
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, a nonprofit tourism bureau that works closely with Centre County’s hospitality industry, launched a GoFundMe page in May to help Lowman’s family with funeral costs. It raised nearly $13,000.
“Bryce was a passionate and charismatic guy, who always went out of his way to help everyone,” Mark Lowman wrote on the page. “He had the ability to make you smile, even on your worst day. He saw the best in everyone and looked for the positives in every situation.
“Bryce stood strong in his faith and lived life courageously. In his short time here, he touched many lives and will be missed more than the heart can hold.”
Bryce Lowman was best known for his “fun-loving spirit” and “willingness to jump into any situation,” according to his GoFundMe. His obituary mentioned he loved basketball, the beach, the gym, exotic cars, fashion and hanging with friends.
He was the second man since March to die from electrocution during or after a storm in Centre County.