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Tribute paid to power worker
By JAMIE JONES, Times Staff Writer SPRING HILL -- Those who knew and loved Joshua Gay, a power company lineman electrocuted while working early Tuesday, will say goodbye to him at a funeral service this afternoon. Service will be at 2 p.m. at West Brooksville Church of God. Friends said Mrs. Cynthia Gay, 24, a dispatcher with the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, is taking one day at a time, trying to cope with the loss of her husband. She's working to stay strong for her 2-year-old son and a child on the way. Mrs. Gay is pregnant with the couple's second son, due in several weeks. Mr. Gay, 26, had worked for Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative for almost two years. He was working with three colleagues in a field west of Brooksville early Tuesday to restore power after a storm. Authorities said Mr. Gay climbed a pole and tried to put on his rubber gloves when he apparently slipped. Authorities believe that he instinctively threw one arm into the air and touched a live wire. Ernie Holzhauer, Withlacoochee spokesman, said the company will close its West Hernando District Office today from 1 to 4 p.m. so employees can attend the funeral. The office will reopen from 4 to 6 p.m. The company's safety department is conducting an internal investigation, which could take several months to complete, Holzhauer said. The number of people who have called Withlacoochee and the Sheriff's Office to offer condolences and assistance has been overwhelming, said Lt. Joe Paez. One man stopped by the Sheriff's Office this week and left a $100 bill for Mrs. Gay. Dozens of residents have sent donations and cards, and Sheriff's Office employees have donated more than $300, Paez said. Spring Hill firefighters also are collecting funds. "This has touched so many people," Paez said. Colleagues have set up a trust fund for the family with SunTrust Bank. Checks can be delivered to any SunTrust in Hernando County. "The family is very, very appreciative," said Denise Martinez, a 911 supervisor. Martinez said anyone wanting to help could give diapers for a newborn, formula or an infant seat, all of which can be dropped off at the Sheriff's Office. Mr. Gay's father, Herman, recalled his son as a family man who loved his work and friends. "He was on a roll, had everything together," Herman Gay said. "Everyone who knew him liked him." -- Jamie Jones covers law enforcement and courts in Hernando County and can be reached at 754-6114. Send e-mail to jjones@sptimes.com.
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