08/18/2005
Families sue city on College Pt. electrocutions
By Scott Sieber

Joseph Cheetham and Alana Berenson died last year after they were electrocuted by a downed power line.
One year ago a young College Point couple driving in a summer thunderstorm down 15th Avenue and 117th Street in College Point died tragically when they stepped out of the car into the electrically charged waters flooding the intersection. A live power line was submerged in the flooded street, prompting the parents of the couple to question how it got there and why the intersection was flooded in the first place.
Last week, both families filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and Con Edison in Queens Supreme Court to find out why.

"Con Ed was working on the block that day and packed up rather quickly when the storm came," said Berenson's father, Bruce. "We think the proper safety measures were not taken. There's been complaints for years about flooding on that block."

The couple, Alana Berenson, 19, and Joseph Cheetham, 23, both students at Maritime CUNY, got caught in the Aug. 11, 2004, storm when their car stalled out in the flooded intersection. When the car began taking on water, Berenson stepped out of the car into the water coursing with 4,000 volts.

When she began screaming, Cheetham, a Pittsburgh native, braved the waters to try to save her, but he also succumbed to the electrical current.

Emergency workers arrived, but could not reach the couple until Con Ed turned off the power. They retrieved their bodies an hour later.

"Losing a child is unlike anything else that can happen," said Bruce in a recent phone interview from his College Point home. "There's a lot of moments in a day. For some of them you're okay and some you're not. You can switch back and forth in the blink of an eye."

The families' attorney, Evan Torgan, said he has witnesses to the incident who saw the Con Ed crew working on the power line throughout the day. The crews left in a hurry when the storm started, he said, and shortly after the power line went down.

"Who's going to be blamed for that wire going down," he asked, "and the Pepsi Cola plant across the street has been complaining for years about difficulties getting trucks in and out because the street would flood."

The families are suing for an undetermined amount of money. Torgan said the amount should be left up to a jury. They are currently waiting for a response from the agencies.

"If what came about because of this is this area became a safer block, then that would be great," Bruce said. "Unfortunately, it's only money that makes people like this sit up and take notice, otherwise there's no real leverage."

City Law Department spokeswoman Shira Strassman issued a statement in response to the suit saying "obviously, these cases involved very tragic circumstances. We have not yet received legal documents regarding a suit, but we will evaluate any incoming papers carefully."

Con Edison Monday could not be reached for comment.

Reach reporter Scott Sieber by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.


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