Tulsa Woman Warns Of Tree Trimming Crews

By Dan Bewley and Scott Thompson, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A Tulsa woman can't believe a tree trimming crew removed part of a tree in her backyard without permission.  She's now warning others to double check when tree crews come to your neighborhood.

"I had to have stitches in my fingers and fell on the concrete.  Hit both my knees on the concrete," said Tulsan Angie Nix.

Angie Nix is battered and bruised and it all centers around a big tree in her backyard.  It started when PSO said the tree and three others needed to be trimmed away from the power lines.  Nix worked with the power company to strike a deal that only a small portion of the tree should be trimmed.

"The back side of it is dead and the part that goes towards the lines actually doesn't grow," said Tulsan Angie Nix.

PSO says it often works with customers to save trees through what's called a Forestry Work Plan.  Nix's work plan showed that the tree should only be trimmed.  She says when she showed it to the tree crew supervisor; he became very angry and began yelling at her.

Eventually the supervisor agreed to leave the tree and only give it a trim.

That's where Max and Wrinkles enter the story.  The two male mastiffs have to be kept separated, but when Nix went to let one in the backyard and the other in the front yard, she discovered the tree crew had left the gate open and the dogs began to fight.

Nix was injured when she went to separate the dogs.     

Her advice to other homeowners concerned about losing their trees is ask for a work plan, then keep a close eye on it.

"Keep your order that they send you. Don't be afraid to go out and confront people if you see them doing the wrong thing. If you have any animals be careful that your gates are re-locked when you leave.  Because they came in my yard twice and both times they didn't latch the gate," said Tulsan Angie Nix.

Nix says the tree company has agreed to pay her vet bills and medication.  She also says the company fired the supervisor that originally worked on her tree.

The tree company denied a News On 6 request for a comment.