Woman Arrested, Strip-Searched After Power Line Dispute
A farm in Hoschton in Barrow County has been home to 60-year-old Worley all her life. Late last year, a letter from the Georgia Transmission Corporation told her a 230 Kilovolt power line was going to go through her property. When surveyors showed up, Worley said she went down the road to talk. She said she didn't threaten anyone, but the Barrow County deputy working with the surveyors didn't see it that way -- the deputy called for backup.
"I saw two sheriff's cars drive up," said Worley. She was handcuffed, arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. "I was in the car and I went all the way to the jail handcuffed," she said. Worley was booked into the jail, patted down and strip searched. "She sprayed me down with lice spray. It was so humiliating," Worley said. "They made a criminal out of me."
"The charges were dropped, but Worley and her lawyer are suing the Georgia Transmission Company."
"It's just pure, old-fashioned intimidation. They want people's land and they don't want to pay for it," said Worley's lawyer, Don Evans. "They're going to set their power poles wherever they want and if anybody gives them any lip, they'll put you in jail." She and her lawyer said they're suing, not just for her, but for other Georgians facing the threat of eminent domain and what they see as loss of property rights.
