Crawford v. Consumers Power Co.

On May 21, 1975, a severe wind and rain storm passed through Van Burén County uprooting two tall trees that fell against one of defendant’s power lines knocking it nearly to the ground. Area residents reported power failures to defendant and a company service repairman was dispatched, who located and replaced a burned-out, 65-amp fuse in the area without investigating to determine what caused the power failure or fuse blowout.

Later that evening on the day of the storm, at approximately 10 p.m., the decedent, Sheila Crawford, who was 18 years old, and her sister, plaintiff Susan Crawford…