In what could prove to be a groundbreaking case, California’s most prominent electricity company could face murder charges if it’s found to be responsible for this year’s deadly wildfires.
Pacific Gas & Electric is being investigated for its potential role in starting the fires, which claimed at least 85 lives, a U.S. District Court brief reveals. If investigators determine the the blazes were caused by the company’s failure to maintain power lines, it could face an array of misdemeanor and felony charges including “homicide offenses like implied-malice murder and involuntary manslaughter.”
PG&E, which provides power to 16 million Californians, has responded to the investigation by issuing a statement that reads, “PG&E’s most important responsibility is public and workforce safety. Our focus continues to be on assessing our infrastructure to further enhance safety and helping our customers continue to recover and rebuild.”
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/30/us/california-fires-pge-charges/index.html
