Late bills leave residents in dark

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An apartment complex left over 100 families in the dark overnight, and the property manager said the economy is to blame.

Aimee Sweet packed up to leave her apartment after she and her 4-month-old had been without power for more than 24 hours.

"I just don't want to allow my son to be in the cold for him to freeze," Sweet said.

She lives at the Hillcrest Residence Apartments on SW 59 Street where all bills are paid -- but management isn't paying the bills on time.

"We pay our part, they should pay theirs," Sweet said.

OG&E gave the complex a 10-day and 24-hour notice to pay the overdue amount. When that didn't happen, the power was cut and managers sent a note to residents blaming OG&E.

"Eight o'clock yesterday morning the power went out and they said it was going to be off for a few hours because OG&E was repairing some lines," resident Vanessa Holt said.

Residents now know that was a lie.

"This is just ridiculous," Holt said.

Bill Sharp, a spokesman for the property management, said a check used to pay the electric bill had bounced. He said a number of residents have skipped out on rent because they've been laid off from their jobs and that had a trickle effect on their budget.

Still, residents said the bill should have been paid.

"Everybody's got spoiled groceries and everybody had freezers full of food," Holt said.

The good news is the power is now back on, but residents are hoping it doesn't happen again.