Man removing branches found dead in tree
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A 62-year-old man was found dead in a tree on the city’s northwest side Thursday night.
Indianapolis Fire Department Battalion Chief Rita Reith said firefighters were dispatched to the 4500 block of Lincoln Road around 6 p.m. after a woman found her brother unresponsive in a tree at his home.
The man was identified Friday as John Myers by the Marion County coroner.
When authorities arrived they learned the man was working to remove branches from the tree before “something went horribly wrong” and the man sustained a fatal injury.
Authorities aren’t certain about what exactly happened to the man but say he was equipped with a helmet, harness and rope system that he was using while he was in the tree 35 feet above the ground.
A preliminary investigation indicates a tree branch may have snapped and hit him, causing a fatal injury.
Due to firefighters not being able to get trucks into the location, a Department of Public Works truck was brought in to help remove the man’s body from the tree. The victim was removed around 8:20 p.m.
An investigation into the man’s death is ongoing.