PSEG LI denies claim after pole crushes man’s car

A West Islip man says an aging utility pole crushed his car, and PSEG Long Island isn't reimbursing him for the damage.
Timothy Schmidt says he parked his car along Walnut Street in East Massapequa in August when the utility pole crashed through the back of his empty car.
Schmidt said that PSEG is “100 percent” liable for the incident and said it should “take ownership of the problem.”
PSEG investigated and denied Schmidt's claim. The utility determined that Verizon is responsible because its wires were hanging too low. The company told News 12 in a statement, "The accident was caused by an unknown motor vehicle that hooked the communication wires.”
Schmidt says Verizon's investigation pointed the finger of blame right back at PSEG.
News 12 contacted Verizon for a comment, it has not yet responded.
The pole has been repaired and since Schmidt doesn't have collision insurance he can't afford the $10,000 repair bill. He hopes one of the companies will own up to the accident.
Schmidt is a volunteer firefighter who can no longer respond to emergencies since his car is out of commission.