Neighbors pay tribute to family killed by gas

Dan Kulin

Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 | 11:14 a.m.

After an overflow crowd of more than 500 paid their respects Wednesday to the Las Vegas family of three who died last week from carbon monoxide poisoning, Royce Wood said he's not sure he'll ever get over the death of his only child, but he's glad the Public Utilities Commission is looking into the matter.

"I lost my only child. I don't know if there'll ever be closure," Wood said of his son, Joel. "I lost my hunting buddy of 34 years."

The memorial service was for Joel "Kelly" Wood, 34, his wife, 35-year-old Stephanie Wood, and Stephanie's 13-year-old daughter, Kaela Christiansen.

The three were found dead in their home on Spinning Wheel Avenue last Thursday, a day after Nevada Power shut off their electricity. Authorities say the family was using a gasoline-powered generator for electricity, but the generator was in the garage, which was closed, and the carbon monoxide it produced filled their house.

Wood said the crowd at the Wednesday service was "a tremendous tribute to those young people."

Wood said he's reserving judgment on whether Nevada Power did anything wrong until he learns more about the situation, but said he's glad the Public Utilities Commission is investigating how Nevada Power dealt with the family.

"This is a way to get some answers," Wood said. The family's three dogs, two cats and chinchilla also died from the carbon monoxide poisoning.

Rick Hackman, manager of the PUC's Consumer Complaint Resolution Division, has said the commission will look into "everything that led to the termination" of the family's electricity service.

Hackman said the investigation is mainly looking at "whether (Nevada Power) followed the commission's guidelines for noticing individuals their power will be shut off."

PUC spokeswoman Rebecca Wagner said the agency has received preliminary information on the matter, but officials estimate it will be at least two weeks before any conclusions are reached.

Wagner said the agency has been conducting Nevada Power's general rate case in Las Vegas for the past two weeks and expects to wrap it up Friday. She said the agency will not begin working in earnest on the carbon monoxide case until the rate hearing concludes.

Under Nevada administrative code, utilities must give customers two notices of a pending power shutoff.

Nevada Power spokeswoman Andrea Smith said today that the family, in accordance with the state's Consumer Bill of Rights, was sent both a 10-day shut-off notice and a 48-hour shut-off notice. Smith said the PUC has been sent copies of the notification procedures in this matter.

Smith said that privacy rules regarding customer accounts prohibited her from saying why the power was shut off in this case. However, in general, she said the power company works with consumers to keep them hooked up.

"While I cannot comment on this matter specifically, we do encourage customers who are facing shutoff to call us before they are disconnected," Smith said. "We will work with customers, including arranging payment plans."

Friends and neighbors have remembered the Woods as a tight-knit family who loved the outdoors, camping and hunting.