'It's corporate greed': Lawsuit filed following gruesome death of Aiken County teacher

Editor's note: Dominion Energy provided a statement for this story late afternoon Monday that wasn't included in the initial publication. Their statement as since been added.

The family of a young Aiken County teacher killed by a falling utility pole in August 2023 recently filed a lawsuit against Dominion Energy and Comporium, stating the utility companies were "intentionally reckless" in the maintenance of their infrastructure.

Jeunelle Robinson, 31, a social studies teacher at Wagener-Salley High School, was on her lunch break on Aug. 23, when a tractor-trailer hit overhead utility lines, pulling eight rotted utility poles out of the ground and flying across downtown Wagener, according to a previous reporting.

In a court affidavit, the driver of the truck said the wires were hanging below statutory requirements.

The lawsuit, filed this week in Aiken County Common Pleas Court, alleges the companies maintaining the pole and wires were negligent in keeping the equipment safe and secure.

The pole that hit Robinson, flipping her 180 degrees in the air, was at least 70 years old and was attached to a 1967 Comporium telephone line that was not operable or in active service, according to the suit.

In an interview Monday afternoon, Bamberg Legal, which is representing the family, said Robinson suffered for four and a half hours before her death and needed to be given fentanyl, one of the most powerful pain medications, for her injuries.

The impact of the pole fractured her skull, exposing brain matter, and knocked one of her eyes out of her head, according to the lawsuit.

Instead of expressing concern for Robinson or her family, Dominion Energy claims representatives called an on-scene manager multiple times while he was talking to law enforcement, asking if she was going to, or had, died, according to the suit.

Within 36 hours of the incident, the lawsuit alleges either Dominion Energy or Comporium authorized the destruction of rotten and broken pole stubs that were protruding above ground, "despite being aware that this incident would trigger both a state level investigation and potential liability claims by Ms. Robinson's estate and other citizens who suffered damage..."

The suit states the businesses' conduct was "extreme and outrageous, as to exceed all possible bounds of decency, such that it is regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized society."

Attorneys added the businesses caused Robinson and her family "emotional distress so severe, that no reasonable person could be expected to endure it."

Bamberg Legal confirmed the family tried to negotiate with the businesses for seven months, but no responsibility was taken – spurring the suit.

Weeks after the incident, The Chronicle reported the family was seeking a commitment to invest $20 million in Wagener infrastructure, a $10 million trust for an annual scholarship in Robinson’s name which would be granted to Aiken County students going to college to become public school teachers, and $100 million in financial compensation.

Previous reporting: Family of South Carolina teacher killed by utility pole claims incident was 'avoidable'

Bamberg said it's sad to see the lack of accountability on behalf of the businesses.

"Unfortunately, if the only language they understand is monetary, then we have to go meet them on their playing field," he said. "It's not enough just to compensate the family. Jeunelle really cared about the kids and the Wagener community and we want to make sure that they are safe."

Bamberg said the family is pushing for the scholarship and infrastructure funding.

Robinson's father, Donovan Robinson, said in an interview with The Chronicle that the lack of accountability is impacting the family's grief.

"We teach our kids growing up that if they do something wrong, you have to be held accountable," he said. "[Parents] take toys or take their time, so they can understand what they did wrong and not to repeat it. We had the [seven-month] grace period where we didn't sue and we gave individuals a chance to do the right thing on their own accord."

Dominion Energy provided the following statement late Monday, "Dominion Energy did not own the telecommunications pole that struck Jeunelle Robinson. We extend our deepest condolences to her family."

The Chronicle reached out to Comporium, but did not immediately receive a response.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Lawsuit filed against energy companies after death of Wagener teacher