Sheriff: Iowa man dies in Richland County logging accident

TOWN OF ORION (Richland County), Wis. (WRCO) – One person is dead after an accident involving logging machinery on Wednesday, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.

In a release, the Sheriff’s Office said 54-year-old Joseph Abitz of Dubuque, Iowa died after he was struck by a part from a log skidder he was working on.

According to the release, a hydraulic line broke while Abitz was attempting to remove a part, which hit him in the face. First responders arrived at 5:02 p.m. on Wednesday to a field along County Road OO in the Town of Orion in Richland County and found him unresponsive as he was wedged between the engine and tire of the log skidder. He was taken to Richland Hospital and pronounced dead.

Muscoda EMS, the Muscoda Fire Department, and Muscoda Police Department responded to the scene.