MONTERVILLE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A longtime logging employee fell victim to a work-related incident in Randolph County earlier this month, sustaining injuries to which he would ultimately succumb.
Sheriff Rob Elbon of the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office reports that, at 2:10pm on June 1, 2023, Sheriff Elbon and Deputy Tyler Knotts responded to a call reporting a logging accident which had occurred off of Turkey Bone Road near the Monterville, WV area of Randolph County.
Emergency services responded to a scene 8.5 off RT 15 and 4.3 miles on a logging road to a log landing, from which the accident in question occurred roughly .75 to one mile into a wooded area in which logs were being harvested and felled.
Health Net Helicopter units were alerted to the possibility of their necessity in the response effort. It was determined however, upon arrival of fire and medical units to the scene, that Health Net would not be required in the response effort.
An investigation was initiated upon the arrival of law enforcement at the scene in an attempt to determine the sequence of events leading to the incident. Responding officers spoke with individuals present at the scene and began the process of collecting evidence in relation to the investigation, which included the capturing of photos at the site of the accident.
One male individual – identified as David Moreland, 54 years old of Scherr, WV – was determined through evidence collected at the site to have been preparing to secure a felled log as a dozer approached with a cable to remove the log. An uphill tree is determined to have uprooted, falling forward in the direction of the dozer and of Moreland himself, the latter of whom was struck by the tree and sustained injuries which he did not survive.
Moreland is reported to have been a 15-year veteran employee of the logging company. Huttonsville – Mill Creek Fire Departments and Randolph County EMS conducted recovery of the body, which was transported to Davis Medical Center in Elkins, WV.
“Prayers to the family of Mr. Moreland and the witnesses and Logging Company’s owner and family,” said Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon in a statement.
