Frank Warner Of The Morning Call
Coroner: Williams Twp. man was 'a good distance' from power line that electrocuted him
Thomas Joseph Poynton Jr., 31, died in the backyard of his home from what authorities believe was an electrocution from a downed 34,500-volt power line Tuesday morning, June 26, 2016. Poynton was a Palisades High School teacher and assistant football coach.
The death of a Palisades High School teacher Tuesday morning in his Williams Township backyard was due to electrocution, the Northampton County coroner ruled Thursday.
But in ruling on the cause of death and declaring Thomas J. Poynton Jr.'s death an accident, Coroner Zachary Lysek emphasized that Poynton, 31, had not touched a downed power line.
"He did not touch it," Lysek said. "He had no contact with the wire. He was a good distance away, but the electrical current went through the ground."
A 34,500-volt power line had fallen to the ground, which was still wet from Monday's thunderstorms, officials said. Poynton's golden retriever Stella also was electrocuted on the hot, energized ground. Another retriever ran away.
Poynton's home in the 200 block of Royal Manor Road sits 100 feet north of a Met-Ed electrical substation. Power lines pass about 65 feet behind the house.
State police at Belfast said their preliminary investigation found that, after Poynton was electrocuted, the house caught fire and was damaged.
Lysek said his office and other officials have not yet completed the investigation.
Poynton was a teacher, activity adviser and assistant football coach at Palisades High School in Kintnersville. He is survived by his wife, Sarah, who is an Easton Area teacher, and their daughter, Anna.
A GoFundMe web page has been set up for donations to benefit Poynton's wife and daughter.