Atascocita man electrocuted while trimming trees in advance of Hurricane Laura

ATASCOCITA, Texas — Hours before roaring ashore, Hurricane Laura is already blamed for a Harris County man’s death.

A homeowner in Atascocita was trimming trees next to his home Wednesday afternoon when he was electrocuted.

The 62-year-old man was on a 12-foot ladder trying to clear branches near powerlines, according to investigators with the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.

“It appears that he nicked the wires with his chainsaw and he was killed, probably almost immediately,” said Precinct 4 Assistant Chief John Zitzmann. “Very unfortunate; terrible, terrible accident.”

The man’s wife told deputies she saw a flash but didn’t think anyone of it.

Later, she became worried that her husband hadn’t returned so she went outside to check on him.

She found her husband’s body lying next to the ladder.

The victim’s name hasn’t been released.

It happened in the 12700 block of Grand Teton Trail.