Dog beaten by CenterPoint Energy worker dies

A dog that was beaten with a pipe wrench by a CenterPoint Energy worker in Kingwood has died, according to the dog's owner. A dog that was beaten with a pipe wrench by a CenterPoint Energy worker in Kingwood has died, according to the dog's owner. Photo: Mike Wilcox Photo: Mike Wilcox Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Dog beaten by CenterPoint Energy worker dies 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

A dog that was beaten with a pipe wrench by a CenterPoint Energy worker in Kingwood has died, according to the dog's owner.

The energy company agreed to pay the veterinary bills for the Kingwood family's dogs and said they would not hire the contact worker again after a video surfaced in April showing the worker entering the family's backyard and beating their dogs.

One of the 8-year-old Weimaraner bird dogs, Flash, had to undergo surgery after suffering a swollen jaw, a concussion and a bloody cut near his eye. Mark Wilcox announced on Friday that the family's other dog, Shutter, had died.

Willcox said the family didn't have an appointment with the energy company and when his wife went outside to gather the dogs, the man told her he was there to check the meter. Upon bringing the dogs inside, his wife saw Flash was bleeding near his eye.

Willcox went outside to find him, he saw the man raise his wrench to Shutter.

"I told him to stop swinging his wrench at my dog and he said, 'If they come at me, I can swing if I want. I'm going to swing it again if they come at me," Willcox said.

Surveillance footage shows that when the dogs first approached him, the man raised a wrench in his hands and hit a dog across the face.

"They've never bitten anybody," Willcox said of his dogs. "They're very friendly. I've had them since they were puppies."

CenterPoint Energy released a statement about the incident.

"We value our customers' trust," CenterPoint Energy said in an official statement. "We intend to maintain that trust that by reviewing our processes, procedures, and requirements related to engaging contractors. We will revisit our practices around entering customer property, particularly in disconnection situations and when encountering pets. And we will conduct appropriate training to ensure that those activities occur safely."