Construction accident causes power outage, closing Stokes County Sheriff's Office

STOKES COUNTY, N.C. — A construction accident caused a power outage that forced the Stokes County Courthouse and Sheriff's Office to close Tuesday, creating frustration for some residents who arrived unaware the buildings were shut down. According to the Stokes County Sheriff's Office, a contractor working on an addition to the courthouse accidentally struck and damaged a power line Monday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. The outage left both the courthouse and sheriff's office without electricity, forcing county offices to close. Duke Energy officials and the sheriff's office said repairs were expected to be completed by Tuesday evening. In the meantime, the closure disrupted services and inconvenienced residents who needed access to county offices. Ashley Alexander was one of those residents. She said she drove to the sheriff's office on her day off to file a report, only to find the office closed. "I came to the sheriff's office to file a report because there was an incident, and they're not open," Alexander said. "It's pretty much my only day off that I have available, and it's a big inconvenience." Sheriff's officials said deputies and administrative staff were reassigned to patrol and jail operations while Duke Energy crews worked to replace damaged equipment, including a transformer needed to restore power. Alexander said she tried calling the sheriff's office before making the trip but never received an answer. "I've called, and no one's answered the phone. I actually called twice, and no one answered the phone, so I didn't know. I just thought it was busy," Alexander said. "It would've been a little politer to find out that they were closed or something." The sheriff's office said people with scheduled appointments were contacted and updates were posted online. However, not everyone received the message before heading to the courthouse. Alexander believes additional notification at the building could have helped. "Even if they don't have a deputy out here, there should still be a sign," she said. Sheriff's officials said the courthouse and sheriff's office are expected to reopen once power is restored and repairs are completed.