Indiana Co. man killed by falling tree
February 26, 2013
INDIANA — The Indiana County Coroner’s office is investigating the Sunday afternoon death of an Armstrong Township man.
Coroner Michael Baker said 30 year-old Jason William Drew was killed while clearing trees from the edge of a field on land leased by the Reeger Farm just off Anthony Road in Center Township.
The victim was using an extended chain saw to cut a large branch from a tree about 18 feet overhead, when the saw became pinched in the branch.
In an effort to free it, he and his uncle, William Reeger, attached a chain around the limb and attempted to release the saw by pulling on the chain with a tractor, as Drew stood beneath holding onto the saw.
The limb snapped unexpectedly and fell onto the victim below.
He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:50 p.m. by Chief Deputy Coroner Jerry Overman.
Baker said Drew died as the result of blunt force trauma of the head and has ruled the death an accident.
No autopsy is planned, and toxicology tests are pending.
The initial call to the Indiana County 911 Center was received at 2:15 p.m. Personnel from Citizens’ Ambulance Service responded to the scene, and State Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
