Sheriff’s office investigates Feb. 21 death near Scofield

By Sun Advocate

An unattended death last Saturday at a logging site near Scofield may not have been the result of the timbering operation.
“We are still waiting for the autopsy,” indicated Carbon County Sheriff’s Office Detective Terry Marshall on Monday morning.
The incident in which 68-year-old Gerald Keith Hansen of Fairview was discovered dead remains under investigation.
According to Marshall, the matter was reported to local law enforcement authorities after Hansen’s son, Paul, found the victim lying in the road, apparently dead, at approximately 3 p.m. on Feb. 21.
Initially, it appeared the victim may have been crushed by a tree being moved by a bulldozer operated by the younger Hansen, pointed out the sheriff’s office detective.
“According to what he told us, they had fallen a tree and he had moved it to a landing area after which he found his father,” explained Marshall. “He tried to give him CPR. But when he couldn’t get a response, he drove to Scofield and contacted 911. It was then our crews responded.”
The incident occurred in Granger Canyon, located northwest of Scofield.
To date, the preliminary investigation into the matter tends to lead to the tentative conclusion that the older Hansen may have already been dead or at least unconscious when the tree rolled over the victim, indicated the sheriff’s office detective.
“The two of them have been doing this for years and Mr. Hansen would have heard the bulldozer that his son had pulled up to move the tree,” pointed out Marshall.
“The autopsy will tell us more, concluded the detective.