Oxford Man Killed In Logging Accident

An Oxford man is dead after being struck by a log that was being loaded onto a truck by his cousin in Auburn.

Police say the accident happened before 2:30 Monday afternoon at the Auburn Sand Pit on Gracelawn Road. 57-year-old Thomas Staples of Oxford was injured when he was struck by a log that fell out of a cherry picker as it was being used to load a truck. The cherry picker was operated by 42-year-old Ryan Kane of Oxford. Staples was transported to Central Maine Medical Center where he subsequently died of his injuries.

The logging truck is owned by Ryan Kane Trucking & Custom Sawing. Staples was not an employee of the company but was Kane's cousin. He was at the site to watch his cousin work. Since this does not qualify as a workplace fatality, OSHA will not be involved.

The incident remains under investigation by the Auburn Police Department.