Galveston County Crime Stoppers and CenterPoint Energy is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who cut down a CenterPoint Energy pole that led to a man's death.

Reward offered in case of electrocuted Santa Fe teen
By Lea Wilson - Digital News Editor , Aaron Barker - Sr. Web Editor 
Posted: Updated: 1:17 PM, September 08, 2016
 
SANTA FE, Texas - Galveston County Crime Stoppers and CenterPoint Energy is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who cut down a CenterPoint Energy pole that led to a man's death.

The pole was cut down near Santa Fe High School off of Highway 6.

A missing Santa Fe man was found electrocuted in a field on Aug 24. near the downed pole, according to deputies.

According to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office, 19-year-old Mason Curlee was reported missing by his mother. She said he went fishing and never returned.

Deputies said, Curlee's vehicle was found abandoned close to a wooded area where ponds are located in the 1600 block of Highway 6.

Deputies, police, search dogs, family and friends began searching for Curlee. His body was found about 9:45 p.m. in a field near a pond, deputies said.
 
Investigators said they believe Curlee was electrocuted when he tried to crawl under a low-hanging power line.

Foul play is not suspected in Curlee's death, investigators said.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (409)763-TIPS.

===========


Santa Fe teen killed in apparent accidental electrocution


1600 TX 6 Alvin TX

Posted: Friday, August 26, 2016 3:45 pm

By CHACOUR KOOP The Daily News


A Santa Fe teenager was found dead Thursday, apparently from electrocution, after his family reported him missing.

The mother of Mason Curlee, 19, reported him missing when he didn’t return home from fishing Wednesday, authorities said.



Galveston County Sheriff’s Office deputies, the Santa Fe Police Department K-9 unit and Curlee’s friends and relatives searched for him throughout the day. About 4:30 p.m., searchers found Curlee’s car, which was locked and had personal belongings inside, near the 1600 block of state Highway 6, authorities said.

Members of the sheriff’s office also searched the heavily wooded area with a helicopter owned by a local company, Sheriff Henry Trochesset said.

About 9:45 p.m., Curlee’s body was found near a pond about 200 yards from his car. He was lying by a downed electric line, which appeared to still be receiving power, Trochesset said. Curlee’s fishing pole was by his body, Trochesset said.

Investigators believe Curlee was electrocuted when he crawled under the low-lying wire, authorities said. The Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy.

“It’s a very tragic accident,” Trochesset said. Contact reporter Chacour Koop at 409-683-5241 or chacour.koop@galvnews.com
==============

$25K reward offered after teen electrocuted in Santa Fe area

A reward is now offered after the electrocution death of a teenager. Courtney Fischer reports

Thursday, September 08, 2016 12:11PM

SANTA FE, TX (KTRK) --

Investigators say the Galveston County teen who was electrocuted two weeks ago didn't die from an accident. Detectives are now searching for the person they believe killed the teen, when he or she cut down power lines.

Missing teen electrocuted by downed power line in the Santa Fe area.

Mason Curlee, 19, was electrocuted, his body found near live power lines in a remote area off Highway 6 near Santa Fe High School. It's a popular fishing spot. Curlee died doing what he loved: fishing.

"I feel like I'm going to wake up some day. I haven't done it so far," said Danny Curlee, Mason's father.

One week ago, the teen's family said goodbye. They buried Curlee and are now in the process of picking out a headstone.

Two weeks after his tragic death, investigators now believe this was a criminal act. Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset says someone cut down the CenterPoint Energy pole, cut the electric lines, stripped them and stole copper.

"We have a great problem here in Galveston county, throughout Texas and probably the nation,
Trochesset said. "Individuals stealing precious metal and selling it for scrap. Pennies on the dollar. But in this case it led to the death of a 19 year-old who just wanted to go fishing."

Who did this? Galveston County Crimestoppers and CenterPoint are offering a 25,000 dollar reward to anyone who can help detectives find that person.

"He was probably very knowledgeable in electrical because we're surprised he wasn't found deceased at the same location," Trochesset said.

The sheriff said CenterPoint never knew the lines were cut because they powered an abandoned house. They were still live when Curlee's body was found.

Curlee's parents say they're not angry. They're just sad. They want whoever did this caught, so another family isn't torn apart.

"If they're caught, they need to be prosecuted. But at this time, I can only deal with trying to get through what I have to get through," said Danny Curlee.

If you have any information on this case, call Crimestoppers at 409-763-TIPS (8477).

Flood repair worker killed after he fell from scaffolding on Ellicott City’s flood-ravaged Main Street

Man working on Ellicott City repairs dies after fall from scaffolding. 
John Peter Pacylowski Jr., of Columbia, was pronounced dead at the scene.

  By Jack Moore September 9, 2016 5:57 pm



WASHINGTON — A man who was working behind a business on Ellicott City’s flood-ravaged Main Street fell from a scaffolding Friday afternoon and died, Howard County police said.

A police spokeswoman said authorities believe the man was working on flood-related repairs behind a building in the 8200 block of Main Street when he fell from the scaffolding. Police were called at 3:35. The man had died by the time units arrived, police said.


Photos: Ellicott City flooding

Ellicott City, Maryland, experienced historic flooding on July 30, 2016. See photos.

Authorities have not released the man’s identity because his family has not yet been notified.

Flash flooding on July 31 tore through Ellicott City’s downtown area, causing millions in damages to local businesses and killing two stranded motorists. In the immediate aftermath, officials blocked off Main Street to the public over fears that some severely damaged buildings might collapse.

Just two weeks ago, Howard County officials reopened parts of the devastated Main Street to the public as crews worked to repair sidewalks, install new natural gas lines and shore up structures.

Last week, Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman appointed former county fire chief Joseph Herr to serve as recovery project manager to help lead the continued clean-up.

A “recovery town hall” for Ellicott City residents is scheduled for Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at Veterans Elementary School on Montgomery Road. In a news release posted Friday evening, Kittleman said Main Street would reopen to all pedestrians Sept. 20

Mercury was brought into the Walter Johnson Junior High School by a student, creating a massive hazmat situation in Clark County, Arizona

Hazmat investigation continues; middle school classes canceled Friday Posted: Sep 07, 2016 4:00 PM EST Updated: Sep 08, 2016 7:16 PM EST
Written by Craig Huber

and Brenda Yahm


Fire engines arrive at Walter Johnson Middle School on Sept. 7, 2016. (Source: Las Vegas Fire and Rescue)

Outdoor signage of Walter Johnson Junior High School is shown during a hazardous materials response on Sept. 7, 2016. (FOX5)

Parents wait outside Walter Johnson Junior High School amid a hazmat investigation on Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Source: FOX5) LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -

Clark County School District will host an open house Thursday evening to answer questions after hundreds of students at a junior high school were kept on campus into the nighttime hours as emergency workers screened them for mercury exposure.

It will be held at Jacobson Elementary School at 8400 Boseck Drive at 6 p.m.

On Thursday afternoon, CCSD officials reported classes at Walter Johnson Junior High School would again be canceled Friday. School officials said the school is being cleaned and decontaminated in order to contain further exposure.

In addition, students' personal belongings such as shoes and backpacks will remain at the school for screening, district officials said.

Las Vegas Fire and Rescue on Wednesday reported a hazmat situation was being investigated at a Las Vegas middle school.

A hazmat crew was sent to Walter Johnson Junior High School, located at 7701 Ducharme Ave., near Buffalo and Alta drives, after noon.

The department said that no students were threatened and the crew was surveying the situation.

According to Clark County School District spokeswoman Melinda Malone, students and staff potentially exposed to the substance were being quarantined as a precaution. In addition, she said parts of the school, including the gym, have been temporarily closed off.

Still, Malone said, the school day was going on as usual.

Las Vegas Fire and Rescue spokesman Timothy Szymanski identified the substance as a small amount of mercury that was in an old thermometer.

As of 2 p.m., students were not being released. A few dozen parents arrived at the school to pick their children up.

Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency were summoned to the school.

About 6:25 p.m. Wednesday, school officials reported students were being released. They additionally reported EPA officials would be collecting shoes and backpacks belonging to students and staff members. Students' belongings will be returned at a later time. Each student had to be screened and cleared before being dismissed.

School officials said classes at the middle school were canceled Thursday as a precautionary measure.

The following message was sent to parents of Johnson Junior High School students Wednesday afternoon:

Dear Parents:

Johnson Middle School had a chemical element mercury contamination on campus today. We believe the mercury was brought onto campus by a student.

According to EPA guidelines, all students must be tested before they can go home.

Safety is our top priority and we want to make sure students are safe to leave the school.

No one is in immediate medical danger, the goal is to contain exposure.

Food will be provided to students via CCSD's food service department.

When your child has been cleared he or she will call you so that you can pick your student up. If you cannot provide transportation and your child normally rides the school bus, transportation will be provided via CCSD transportation.

Students will be released for pick up on the west side of the school.

We apologize for the inconvenience but need to keep our school and staff as safe as possible.

We will provide additional messaging as soon as we can.

As nighttime fell, remaining students were still being screened and several parents stood by on campus to wait for the children to be cleared. Some were even held into early Thursday morning.

In all, about 16 hours passed from the initial call to the last student screening.

Stay with FOX5 for updates.

Copyright 2016 KVVU (KVVU Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.
Trending Articles



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LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) — Walter Johnson Middle School remained closed Friday as the Environmental Protection Agency continued testing and investigating how mercury ended up in the hands of students on campus.

A morning press conference with CCSD Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky revealed very little new information, only that the investigation is ongoing and that the source of the contamination is still being determined. Superintendent Skorkowsky said he hopes to have kids back in the classroom by Monday, September 12.

When asked about a timeline for the cleanup, Skorkowsky said, "It is concerning but you'll have to remember, we're working with a lot of unknowns here. So we're trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, trying to figure out exactly how it came about."

"On Monday, well sit down and talk about what could've happened, what should've happened and how things could be approved if there is a next time," he continued.



During a meeting with parents, CCSD Police, and the EPA Thursday, one father revealed that his son came home and told him that he had been playing with a chemical on campus at the school five days before it was reportedly found.


Michael Durkin said his son touched the chemical inside the gym on Friday the previous week, along with three other students. The claims lined up with the EPA's information which revealed that the chemical had spread throughout the campus, not just the gym area.

Friday, News 3's Kelsey Thomas caught up with one student who says he was one of the children who played with the substance last week.



6th grader, Bryan Orellana said he was one of the students who found the substance under the bleachers in the gym.

"We didn't know what it was and then we ended up trying to tell the teacher. Us being fools, we touched it and everything and ended up being yesterday that they found out what it was," said Orellana.



Orellana told News 3 he tried several times to tell a teacher in the gym about the discovery, but that the teacher was busy doing other things.

"He did nothing. We tried telling him but he was distracted," he said of the encounter. "We're like here come check it out and he's like just go throw it in the trash."

Orellana's mother said she couldn't believe that the teacher didn't take the reports more seriously.

"They just left it and they we're playing with it with their hands, their folders in their backpacks, their shoes, everything. And the teacher just brushed it off like it wasn't a big deal so they figured oh he doesn't think its a big deal, so it's not a big deal," said Nicole Orellana.

Parents and students arrived on campus Friday to drop off shoes and clothing that may have been exposed to mercury over the last week. They carried large trash bags into the building for the EPA to evaluate.

"They're putting a wand in and making sure everything is okay," explained Noah Mason, an 8th-grade student. "I wanted to make sure all my stuff was okay and nothing was getting around in my house either."



Mercury does evaporate, and the EPA described its molecules as little balls that bounce off of clothes and shoes, spreading throughout the area.


Many parents have also said that they are frustrated over a lack of communication. One parent News 3 spoke with praised the efforts of students, teachers, and the administration.

"It was unexpected. They didn't plan for this to happen. And its just something unfortunate to happen. They did the best they could do. Thats the way I look at it. It couldve been a lot worse," said Jeff Lewis.

CCFD officials have admitted that they don't know what or where the mercury originally came from, or even how it ended up on campus.









===============



Mercury decontamination effort at Walter Johnson Jr. High the largest in LVFR history
By Kyndell Nunley & Kelsey Thomas Thursday, September 8th 2016

Decontamination effort at Walter Johnson Junior High was the largest in the history of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue history. 9/8/16 (Kyndell Nunley | KSNV)








LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) — After a nearly 17-hour ordeal, students who were exposed to mercury at Johnson Junior High School were released this morning to their parents. Las Vegas Fire and Rescue said that it was the largest decontamination effort in the history of the department. 100 first responders were called to the incident to help screen and decontaminate 1,200 students and 100 staff members inside of the school.

Thursday afternoon, CCSD told News 3 school will be canceled again on Friday. They are unsure when students will be allowed back on campus. In a letter addressed to parents, the school also addressed student belongings left behind during the initial decontamination efforts:

"Regarding students who needed to leave their personal belongs at the school (shoes, back packs, etc.), please know that these items will remain at the school so they can be screened. A school staff member will be in contact with parents if personal belongings have been cleared to leave the school."

CCSD said they are also still working on identifying where the mercury originated and how much was brought to school.


"The amount we're were dealing with was the equivalent of an old school thermometer," said Captain Ken Young with CCSD School Police.

During a news conference Thursday morning with CCSD Police, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the agency assured those in attendance that after scanning each person inside the school, everyone went home safe. CCSD Police did reveal that 9 students and 3 staff members were quarantined for a time, but were deemed clean by the end of the night.


"Parents we understand we understand we understand how frustrating that was to have your students in the school where you couldn't get to them," said Captain Young. "Our overall goal was to ensure that the kids had very limited exposure and they did not take any of the toxin home with them."

Parents and residents who still have questions are encouraged to attend an Open House at 6 p.m. at Walter E. Jacobson Elementary School, 8400 Boseck Drive (near Alta and Durango).


Parents and children were reunited around 3:30 a.m. The EPA admitted that the process was a long one to make sure there was no potential contamination outside of the school building. Some students went home shoeless.

"Our goal was protecting human health and it's a long process but we were successful in that," said Randy Nattis with the EPA.

"We thought we would be in and out of the school but once we started doing readings, and finding levels throughout the school, the level of concern was raised. and said we need to take this a step further," said Captain Young.

Thursday, the EPA will begin assessing belongings left behind at Walter Johnson Junior High.


Las Vegas Fire & Rescue was notified around 11:40 a.m. Wednesday about the liquid at the School, 7701 Ducharme Ave., near Alta and South Buffalo drives.



Parents started to become concerned once they started to show up to the school and could not get their students.


Mercury Spill Instructions

Clark County School District officials sent the following letter to parents regarding the incident:


Dear Parents:

Johnson Middle School had a chemical element mercury contamination on campus today. We believe the mercury was brought onto campus by a student. According to EPA guidelines, all students must be tested before they can go home. Safety is our top priority and we want to make sure students are safe to leave the school. No one is in immediate medical danger, the goal is to contain exposure. Food will be provided to students via CCSD's food service department. When your child has been cleared he or she will call you so that you can pick your student up. If you cannot provide transportation and your child normally rides the school bus, transportation will be provided via CCSD transportation. Students will be released for pick up on the west side of the school. We apologize for the inconvenience but need to keep our school and staff as safe as possible. School Police are on-site and are assisting in reuniting parents and students. Classes at Walter Johnson Middle School will be canceled tomorrow, September 8, 2016. The closing of the school tomorrow is precautionary to ensure that the school can be cleaned before students return. Please know that safety is our top priority.

Thank you for your patience. We know this has been a challenging day, and we are thankful for the cooperation of our students, staff, first responders and our community.

Dr. Daliah Wachs says symptoms of mercury to watch out for is fatigue, muscle twitchiness, mood swings, nervousness, headache, and insomnia. Higher levels of mercury could do more harm.

3 seriously injured after an Island Air de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver plane crashed in the waters of Uganik Lake on KodIak Island, Alaska

Three seriously injured in plane crash near Kodiak 

By KTVA CBS 11 News 6:05 PM September 9, 2016






Three people on board a De Havilland Beaver floatplane were seriously injured in a crash Friday near Kodiak, according to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) spokesperson Clint Johnson.

Johnson said the plane crashed around 11:30 a.m. in the Uganik Island area, about 35 miles southwest of Kodiak. The NTSB was notified at 12 p.m.

The incident is still in the early stages of the investigation, but Johnson said the plane crashed during takeoff and struck trees before becoming partially submerged in water.

The Coast Guard was able to rescue all three passengers. Shortly before 6 p.m. the group was being medevaced to Anchorage for treatment, Johnson said.

The passengers have not been publicly identified.

Johnson said the NTSB plans to interview the pilot and passengers in the next couple of days, but isn’t immediately planning on sending an investigator to the crash site.

This is a developing story; check back for updates.



============




By Leroy Polk |
Posted: Fri 6:17 PM, Sep 09, 2016 |
Updated: Fri 6:17 PM, Sep 09, 2016




At approximately noon on Friday the NTSB was notified of a float-equipped plane that crashed into Uganik Lake on Kodiak Island.

The plane was carrying a pilot and two passengers, all of whom sustained serious injuries.

The plane, an Island Air Dehavilland DH2, better known as a "beaver," took off from Uganik Lake and struck several trees. It then crashed back into the lake, with the wreckage being partially submerged. Two Coast Guard helicopters were able to rescue the occupants of the craft.



=============



Date:

09-SEP-2016
Time: 12:30+
Type:
de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Owner/operator:

Registration:

C/n / msn:

Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Unknown
Location: Uganik Lake, KodIak Island, AK - United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport:

Destination airport:

Narrative:
An aircraft is reported down in the waters of Uganik Lake on KodIak Island, Alaska. The airplane sustained unreported damage and the three occupants onboard received undetermined injuries.
Sources:
http://www.ktoo.org/2016/09/09/float-plane-crashes-kodiak-island/


===============



Coast Guard rescues 3 from plane crash near Kodiak, Alaska
Sep 10th, 2016 


A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk crew prepares to transport survivors of a plane crash near Uganik Lake on Kodiak Island, Alaska, Sept. 9, 2016. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Coast Guard rescued three people after their aircraft crashed near Kodiak Friday afternoon.

Watchstanders at the 17th Coast Guard District command center received an electronic locator beacon alert from a De Havilland DHC-2 float plane at 12:20 p.m. Two Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak aircrews arrived on scene at approximately 1:30 p.m. and assessed the three for injuries. An Air Station Kodiak MH-65 Dolphin crew hoisted one female with leg and spinal injuries and transported her to emergency medical personnel awaiting at Kodiak Municipal Airport. The rescue swimmer for the MH-65 provided assessment and care for the other two De Havilland crewmembers. The other two crewmembers aboard the plane suffered a possible broken hip and head trauma.

“We worked closely with the Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center in response to this incident,” said Chief Petty Officer Erik Patterson, command duty officer, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage. “Search and rescue on Kodiak Island is very unique, as we rely heavily on partnerships to ensure the best and fastest possible response.”

On scene weather was reported as 18-knot winds and 10 nautical-miles visibility with a ceiling of 3,000 feet.

4 injured after a 1968 Cessna 310N plane crashed on departure west of Wickenburg Municipal Airport, Wickenburg, Arizona.

WICKENBURG, AZ (KPHO/KTVK) -

Four people were injured when a small plane crashed about a quarter-mile west of the Wickenburg airport Friday morning.

Ian Gregor with the Federal Aviation Administration said the Cessna 310 was taking off from the airport when it went down near Highway 60 and Industrial Road.

The plane experienced some type of mechanical issue, according to Amy Sloane, acting chief of the Wickenburg Police Department.

Sloane said the plane hit a large dumpster as it went down at CC&R Waste Management. A wing was sheared off during the crash.

Sloane said two husband-and-wife couples from Wickenburg were on the plane. They have been identified as Fred and Linda Gagliano, who are the owners of the plane. Fred was flying the plane and was alert at the scene, according to officials. The other two passengers were identified as Patrick and Linda Brewster.

They were extricated from the aircraft and flown to Phoenix hospitals. All four suffered serious injuries but were in stable condition.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
==================
WICKENBURG, AZ - Officials are investigating after a small plane crashed near Wickenburg.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Cessna 310 reportedly crashed a quarter of a mile west of the airport near Highway 60. It went down on departure, crashing in a group of bushes near a structure.

Wickenburg police said four people were seriously injured in the crash and taken to the ICU.

Police identified the plane owner as Linda Gagliano, but the pilot at the time was Fred Gagliano. Linda was a passenger, along with two others, Patrick and Linda Brewster. All four occupants are said to be in their sixties.

The cause of the crash has not yet been identified, but the FAA is investigating possible mechanical failure.

Here are the photos of some 1965 and 1966 Cessna 310N

======================
Date:

09-SEP-2016
Time: -07:50
Type:
1968 Cessna 310N
Owner/operator: GAGLIANO LINDA R TRUSTEE
Registration: N126P
C/n / msn: 310N-0127
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Substantial
Location: Maricopa County, west Wickenburg, AZ - United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport: Wickenburg Muni (E25)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The airplane impacted industrial desert terrain west of Wickenburg Municipal Airport (E25), Wickenburg, Arizona. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the four occupants onboard received serious injuries.


Sources:
http://www.abc15.com/news/region-central-southern-az/wickenburg/officials-plane-crashes-near-wickenburg-airport
http://www.12news.com/news/local/arizona/4-people-injured-in-wickenburg-plane-crash/316063818
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/33057728/plane-crashes-near-wickenburg-airport
http://www.wtol.com/story/33057728/plane-crashes-near-wickenburg-airport
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.9663615,-112.8074758,18z/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en-us
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N126P

Driver survives unharmed after car flips over side of the Premier Parking garage in Austin, Texas

 

A driver in Austin, Texas escaped unharmed Friday from his car after he tried to park it and it ended up dangling over the side of a parking garage.

Updated 1 hr 2 mins ago
AUSTIN, TX -- A driver in Austin escaped unharmed Friday from his car after he tried to park it and it ended up dangling over the side of a parking garage.  

 
The vehicle, a 2004 Toyota 4runner, was hanging from the side of Premier Parking garage at 508 Brazos Street, near Sixth Street and Congress Avenue.
 
The vehicle was on the ninth floor of a parking garage when the man tried to park it around 2:30 p.m. He said he tried stopping his car, but it kept moving slowly and caught on the wire barricade.

As the car continued moving, it ended up flipping over the side of the garage, with only the wire holding the car by one of its wheel wells.

The driver said wearing his seat belt saved his life. He was then able to climb out of the car and someone helped pull him onto the eighth floor of the garage without any injuries.

Authorities said the car remained dangling by the single wire, and they tried to figure out how to lift the car back from the side and into the garage.

=============


A car was hanging from wires after going over the ninth story of a downtown parking garage Friday afternoon.

APD was called to the scene shortly after 2:30 p.m. The vehicle, a 2004 Toyota 4runner, was hanging from the side of Premier Parking garage at 508 Brazos Street, near Sixth Street and Congress Avenue. Guide wire was wrapped around one of the wheels of the vehicle, preventing it from falling.

The driver, a 24-year-old man, told APD that he was parking on the ninth floor of the garage and was unable to stop the vehicle. He said the vehicle flipped end over end down the side of the garage before it became caught on the wire. With the help of a bystander, the driver was able to climb out of the vehicle through an open window and into the parking garage without injury. APD said that he was wearing his seatbelt when the accident happened.

Police and firefighters were able to slowly lower the vehicle to the ground, minimizing collateral damage.

Sixth Street is closed near the scene.

OSHA investigating death of Burnett Dairy Cooperative employee who was exposed to toxic chemicals in Alpha, WI

Dennis Marschall


POLK COUNTY, WI- The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death of a 68-year-old Polk County man who died after allegedly being exposed to toxic chemicals as part of his job as a field technician with Burnett Dairy Cooperative of Alpha.

Dennis Lin Marschall died Friday, Sept. 2, at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Unconfirmed reports say he was working at a Frederic area farm when the exposure occurred and that he was initially treated at a local hospital after experiencing difficulty in breathing. From there he was airlifted to Regions.

He was a 12-year employee of the cooperative.

Mark Hysell, regional director for OSHA out of Eau Claire confirmed that two of his agents have been assigned to the case.

“It’s an ongoing investigation and very new in the process. We are still acquiring evidence and conducting interviews,” he said. He refrained from releasing details regarding the nature of the case, only to say it was “an unfortunate incident.”

Response to calls made to Burnett Dairy Cooperative had not been received as of press time.

A memorial service for Marschall will be held Thursday, Sept. 8, at 11 a.m. from the Balsam Lutheran Church in rural Amery. Visitation is this evening, Sept. 7, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Williamson-White Funeral Home and also one hour prior to the service on Thursday. - See more at: http://www.wcregisteronline.com/content/osha-investigating-death-bdc-employee#sthash.LAMCuvg0.dpuf