The city of Ocala has sued a local construction company for allegedly damaging electrical lines with an excavator while working at the Reilly Arts Center.
The lawsuit was filed by the city against Marion Rock Construction in Marion County small claims court on September 13.
According to the statement of claim, Dinkins Construction was contracted by the Reilly Arts Center during the summer of 2021, when the organization was working on its NOMA Black Box theatre.
The city claims Dinkins Construction subcontracted Marion Rock to perform various services at the site. According to the complaint, on August 13, 2021, a crew from Marion Rock “excavated near a transformer.”
The city says the excavator “dug into primary conductors” and “damaged the city’s electrical wires,” according to the complaint.
A crew from Ocala Electric Utility eventually came in to repair the underground conduit and replace conductors, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit goes on to suggest that a representative from Marion Rock advised that he felt the “locator was being lazy,” noting that the “lines were not marked.” It indicates that the “dig in was within 6-8 feet of a transformer,” so there “should have been some awareness that underground wires would have been present.”
The city is seeking $2,839.54 in damages and $300 in court costs, according to the complaint.
According to the court docket, a summons was issued in the case on September 14. There have been no additional filings in the case since then.