Brett Wade Dillard, 28, of Ballewtown Road in Blue Ridge was arrested Monday, November 18 for theft of service after allegedly tapping into the City of Blue Ridge’s water main.
According to an incident report filed by Fannin County Sheriff’s Deputy Caitlyn Collis, she was dispatched to Blue Ridge City Hall where she was told by city employee Tony Galloway that he had previously cut the water off and taken the meter from Dillard’s residence November 11.
Following the water cut off, city employees noticed they were losing water and Galloway traveled back to Dillard’s residence and observed the lock off of the lid of the water main and a white PVC pipe located on the water pipes where a meter would be.
Collis then spoke with Dillard who said he had not and could not touch the water main because his truck had broken down while parked over the meter box. When Collis asked if Dillard could move the vehicle, he said he had intended to by pulling it with a chain.
She advised him that he would need to have his truck moved before the city came out to fix the water main. She then observed him crank his vehicle and move it from on top of the water main.
Collis included in her report that she did notice the meter box to be unlocked with white PVC pipe on the water pipes where a meter would be.