Troy Man Accused of Turning Water Back On, Locking City Meter
- John Eads
- Feb 6
- 2 min read
Troy, Mo. — What started as a routine city water shutoff quietly escalated into a criminal case after officials say the service was turned back on within hours, locked off from city access, and left that way for days — until police were called and the situation boiled over.
Zachary T. Burkemper
Charges
Tampering With Utility Meter — 2nd Degree
Resisting / Interfering With Arrest, Detention, or Stop
Burkemper is not currently in custody. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Associate Division III in Lincoln County.
City water service at the residence was shut off by the City of Troy Water Department on the morning of Tuesday, January 21, 2026.
According to the City of Troy Water Department, the shutoff didn’t last long. Just a few hours later, around midday, the water was turned back on without authorization. City employees later discovered that a personal lock had been placed on the city-owned water meter, preventing the department from accessing or shutting the service off again.
The unauthorized restoration and locked meter remained in place for several days.
On Tuesday, February 3, city officials contacted police to respond to the residence regarding the altered meter and restricted access to city equipment.
When officers arrived, Burkemper was advised that the water meter belonged to the City of Troy and that restoring service and placing a personal lock on city equipment was not permitted. City employees were preparing to remove the lock and properly secure the meter.
According to police, the encounter escalated as Burkemper became confrontational and continued moving toward an officer after being instructed to stop. When officers attempted to detain him, he allegedly pulled away and attempted to flee.
A brief struggle followed before officers were able to bring him to the ground and place him under arrest. During the incident, an officer reported damage to department-issued equipment.
Burkemper was later charged in connection with the incident and released pending his court appearance.
All individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Have information, documents, photos, or video related to this case? You can contact Lincoln County Watch confidentially at tips@LincolnCountyWatch.com or 636-377-0201.
This article was written by John Eads for Lincoln County Watch.
Source: Lincoln County Circuit Court
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