Kenny Wayne and Hilary Klotz.

Calhoun County man electrocuted on construction job; remains critical

Posted by
Kelli Peacock Dunn
in News
Thursday, July 26. 2012
Comments (8)
A Calhoun County man is in critical condition at a burn center in Augusta, Georgia, following a tragic accident in Marianna.

Kenny Wayne Klotz, a 45-year-old brick mason from Blountstown, was electrocuted Wednesday while working a concrete job at a home near the intersection of Kelson Avenue and Jefferson Street. Sources say a utility line had reportedly been hanging extremely low for some time near the residence. Klotz was working with a bull float when the tool came in contact with an electric field.

Klotz was thrown to the ground unconscious, but was talking before emergency medical workers arrived. Danny Ray Hough, who had just delivered some pipes to the site, kept him calm.

“It just so happened the lady in the house was a nurse,” says Missy Hough, Danny Ray's wife, adding the woman assisted until an ambulance was on the scene.

The County Record has spoken with his wife, Hillary, who is by his side at the burn center in Augusta, Georgia. She says Kenny Wayne is in the intensive care unit and underwent surgery on his feet Wednesday and Monday. His body is burned from where the electricity entered in his shoulder and exited out his feet. Due to the extent of his injuries, he will be unable to work for some time. He has no insurance.

Contributions to help this local family would be greatly appreciated. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so by making a deposit into the personal checking account of Kenny Wayne and Hillary Klotz at Bank of America.

“He is just in a lot of pain - it’s unreal the pain,” says Hillary. “He will be here two to three weeks and will continue to have surgeries.”

Hillary explained that donor skin has been put on burns for the time being, but additional surgeries will involve applying skin from Klotz’s own thighs.

“The people here have been so wonderful,” Hillary remarks of the burn center staff. “They have been amazing, coming in and reassuring him.”

To send a card or letter, write to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center, Attn: Kenny Wayne Klotz, Room 329, 3651 Wheeler Road, Augusta, GA 30909.
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks
Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)
#1 Steve on 07/26/12 at 12:14 PM [Reply]
This is terrible, and I hope the poor man fully recovers. But I must take issue with the use of the word "electrocuted." If he is still alive, he was not electrocuted.
#2 Hillery Klotz on 07/28/12 at 09:38 AM [Reply]
Yes he was. The only time you die when electrocuted is when the electricity can not escape your body. Thank you.
#3 Steve on 08/06/12 at 10:46 AM [Reply]
No, the word "electrocute" means to cause death by electric shock. He sustained an electric shock, but he was not electrocuted, because it did not kill him.
#4 Steve on 08/06/12 at 11:01 AM [Reply]
Hillery, I failed to notice that the person I was arguing with was the wife of the victim. I apologize if I was insensitive. I didn't mean to get into an argument with you, I just meant to make a semantic point to the people who write and edit this publication. I sincerely hope your husband recovers quickly.
#5 Kelli Peacock Dunn on 08/06/12 at 11:20 AM [Reply]
Hi, Steve. Thank you for reading, but we will have to agree to disagree...it is possible to survive electrocution as Mr. Klotz did in this case.
#6 Steve on 08/06/12 at 12:35 PM [Reply]
Kelli, as a former newspaper editor and reporter, I am actually a little bit offended by your obstinacy. This is not a matter of opinion. You don't get to disagree with Webster's Dictionary. I wish people who use the English language for a living would care more about using it correctly. And if you make an error in using the language, it's OK to admit it and move on.

Since you obviously don't respect my authority (for which I don't blame you, since you don't know me from Adam), this is taken directly from Merriam-Webster.com:

elec·tro·cute
verb \i-ˈlek-trə-ˌkyüt\
elec·tro·cut·edelec·tro·cut·ing
Definition of ELECTROCUTE
transitive verb
1: to execute (a criminal) by electricity
2: to kill by electric shock
#7 Kelli Peacock Dunn on 08/06/12 at 01:06 PM [Reply]
No disrespect to you or Webster, but I've heard and seen it both ways. Formal definition and what is common and acceptable in the English language are often conflicting, as in this case.
#8 Kathy S. Johnson on 08/10/12 at 07:01 AM [Reply]
The length that some go to pick nits! Amazing.
Add Comment
E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.
 
   
 
Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.