On November 13, 2015 at approximately 4:13pm, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a reported logging operation accident off of the 2550 Road on Hanckock-Nestucca Forest Property approximately two miles east of Gleneden Beach, Oregon. The caller, an Elkhorn Logging Company employee, reported finding a co-worker trapped in a piece of logging equipment at the location. The caller reported the subject was deceased upon discovery. Depoe Bay Fire and Rescue personnel responded to the scene and pronounced the subject deceased upon arrival.

Sheriff’s Deputies arrived on scene and conducted a scene investigation. Deputies learned the deceased, identified as 38 year old Lincoln City resident Samuel James Cates, had been reportedly attempting to fix a de-limbing apparatus attached to the machine he was operating. The caller reportedly stopped to check on Cates, who was working alone at the time of the accident, and discovered him pinned inside the delimbing attachment. The caller reported the machine engine was running at an idle at the time of the discovery.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was notified of the incident as required of all workplace death investigations. The Lincoln County Medical Examiner and District Attorney’s Office were also notified. ABC Funeral Home responded to conduct the removal of the deceased from the scene. Next of kin have been notified. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation.