A Pembroke man visiting friends in Scotland County received a severe electrical shock on Christmas Eve.

Timothy Locklear, 19, was at a Fletcher Road residence near Gibson on Wednesday night when he decided he would restore power to the home, which had been cut off by Progress Energy, Sheriff Shep Jones told The Laurinburg Exchange Thursday.

Locklear climbed the utility pole near the house and was severely shocked just after midnight on Thursday.

He was taken to Scotland Memorial Hospital and then airlifted to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

Jones did not know the Locklear's condition, but suspected the teen was badly injured.

"If he was airlifted to Chapel Hill, he was in pretty serious condition," Jones said.

The sheriff's department is investigating the incident.