Officials say they now know what led to the death of a Carroll County man who was electrocuted on a construction site on Magnolia-Progress Road Tuesday night.
Pike County Chief Sheriff’s Investigator Chris Bell said Tony James Jr., 28, Vaiden, was electrocuted while working on a washed-out box culvert.
Bell said workers were preparing to shut down the site for the day when they decided to use the crane to lift a water pump.
He said contrary to earlier reports that said James was in the bucket truck, he was on the ground and attempted to connect the crane cable to the pump.
Bell said that in the process, a part of the crane’s boom came too close to the overhead power lines. He said when James grabbed the cable, he was electrocuted.
Pike County Coroner Percy Pittman said he was on another death call in the area when he received the call about the incident.
Pittman said responders worked to revive James before transporting him to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center by helicopter.
Pike County Road Manager Mike Duncan said James was an employee with Laurel-based Magco. The company has been hired to install a new box culvert.
