Man Killed by Falling Tree in West McCracken Co

A Mississippi man was killed Thursday while cutting down a tree in western McCracken County.

According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Department, emergency responders received a call at 5:08 pm to respond to a remote area of Western McCracken County northwest of the Ragland area. It was reported that a man was down and barely breathing after being struck by a tree.

After arriving at the area on Carrico Landing Road location, crews had to hike several hundred yards through a densely wooded area with freshly cut trees to get to the victim, 29-year-old Brandon J. Mitchell of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Responders made every effort to save Mitchell, but were unsuccessful. The McCracken County Coroner was then called to the scene.

An investigation into this incident by the sheriff’s department and coroner’s office determined that Mitchell and several other workers were cutting down a large swath of trees toward the Ohio River for a construction project. One of the large trees was cut and fell to the ground, and the trunk portion of the tree came loose and thrusted off of the stump, hitting Mitchell.

Mitchell was employed by Sheehan Pipeline Company who was subcontracting the work for Trunkline Gas Co.

The McCracken County Sheriff’s Department and Coroners Office are conducting the investigation.