Gunfire damages BPA insulators near Tacoma, reward offered

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — The Bonneville Power Administration says people shooting at its high-voltage power line near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the Tacoma, Washington, area have damaged power line insulators. The agency is offering a maximum $25,000 reward for tips leading to those involved.

BPA said Wednesday that over the past 90 days, there have been four incidents of damaged insulators on its Olympia-Grand Coulee transmission line between the towns of Spanaway and Graham.

Damaged insulators can put people nearby at risk of electric shock, serious injury or death.

The Pierce County sheriff's office is investigating.

The federal utility sells power produced at 31 dams and a nuclear power plant, largely to public utilities in its four-state Northwest area.