By Chris Wasson and

Desiree Taylor

Selma Times-Journal

The body of a man was discovered Friday afternoon near an Alabama Power Company power substation on Range Street after the company responded to complaints about power service in the area.

Jermaine Jackson, 24, was found dead Friday afternoon near an old power company maintenance building.

“We were getting some calls about low voltage at one of our substations,” said Jan Ellis, public relations representative for Alabama Power. “So one of our linemen went in to check on it and found a body.”

Friends and family stood near where Jackson’s body was found and embraced one another. One person yelled out screaming, “Why?,” while others shook their heads in confusion.

“I just saw him yesterday,” said someone who said they were a close family friend, but asked not to be identified. “This couldn’t be real. I just do not want to believe it was him.”

Police Chief William Riley said the victim’s death was possibly from accidental electrocution while trying to jump a fence to steal copper.

“He had a tube belt,” said Riley. “That gives us an indication that he may have been trying to take copper from the area. Unfortunately he may have hit a hot circuit, which we believe may be the cause of his death, but we will take the body for an autopsy to verify.”

Dallas County Coroner Alan Dailey said the body has been taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for further investigation in to the exact cause of Jackson’s death.

“We have a couple of ideas right now,” said Daily. “But right now the case is still a death investigation, though.”

Authorities said copper theft has been a wide spread problem in Dallas County.