Man riding on back of garbage truck in Centre County killed after crash into overhanging tree
A man riding on the back of a garbage truck was killed Wednesday after the driver backed into a tree in Centre County, state police at Rockview wrote in a crash report.
Nathen R. Kerstetter, 38, of Milesburg, was hanging off the back of the truck about noon Wednesday when the driver backed into a tree overhanging a driveway along the 200 block North Main Street in Port Matilda, police wrote.
Kerstetter died of blunt force trauma to the head, Centre County Chief Deputy Coroner J.D. Kubalak wrote in a statement Thursday.
Port Matilda EMS, Centre LifeLink EMS, Geisinger LifeFlight and Port Matilda Fire Co. assisted.
The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating Kerstetter’s death, a spokeswoman wrote in an email Thursday. The agency has six months to conduct an investigation and release its findings.
Kerstetter worked for Newman Hill, Inc., the spokeswoman wrote. A woman who answered a call to the company declined comment Wednesday.
This story was originally published January 17, 2024 at 4:01 PM.