Hunter dies after tree falls on him while sleeping
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A North Carolina man hunting with family in the Salmon/Challis National Forest died Wednesday after a tree fell on him.
Lawrence “Larry” Horton, 67, was asleep around 1:30 p.m. when a large dead tree called a SNAG fell on his chest, according to a news release from Custer County Search and Rescue. Horton received a severe chest injury and had trouble breathing.
The Custer County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from Rawhide Outfitters in Salmon, where Horton was a client, notifying them of the injury. Challis Ambulance Service, a Saint Luke’s Air Ambulance from Boise and the Custer County Search & Rescue Challis Unit all responded to the scene.
“Efforts were made to help Larry but he only had minutes left. Guides and family watched on helplessly as Larry struggled to survive,” the news release says.
Around 3:30 p.m., Saint Luke’s Air Ambulance reported to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office that Horton had died from his injuries. His body was removed from the scene and transported to the Jones and Casey Funeral Home in Challis.
The Custer County Sheriff’s Office extended condolences to Horton’s family and friends and thanked everyone involved in the operation.