Crime & Safety

Simsbury Man Injured in Logging Accident

A 73-year-old man was injured after a tree being removed by contractors fell on top of him.

Story updated at 1:38 p.m.

A 73-year-old Simsbury died as a result of serious injuries he received when a tree that was being removed fell on top of him.

At approximately 11:32 a.m. Simsbury police and volunteer firefighters responded to a report of a logging accident that injured a resident of a home at 14 Crane Place in Simsbury.

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Craig Roselli, 73, was taken by ambulance from the scene of the accident to the Connecticut Light and Power campus on Hopmeadow Street. From there he was transported by Lifestar to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford where he later passed away.

Simsbury Police Lieutenant Fred Sifodaskalakis said Roselli was walking back to his sister's home, where he is living, when a tree that was being removed by contractors fell on top of him. Sifodaskalakis said Roselli sustained life threatening injuries to his head and leg.

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"He was talking when he left here," Sifodaskalakis said.

Workers for Maximum Tree Service were performing a scheduled tree removal on the property when Roselli was passing the work area on the driveway of his sister's home where he lives. Sifodaskalakis said Roselli was aware that the work was being done.

Simsbury Police Detective Scott Sagan is conducting an investigation into how the tree fell while Roselli was passing on the driveway below.

Chris Brant, 17, and Chris Heintz, 17, who live nearby the home, said Roselli is hearing impaired and may not have heard warnings that the tree was coming down.

Police would not confirm details of how the incident occurred but said they will continue to investigate.


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