A fatal accident occurred early Monday morning at a Monroe County chicken farm, where a man was struck and killed by a forklift, according to a press release from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident took place at Vanhuss Poultry, located on Rumble Road in Smarr. Authorities identified the victim as 68-year-old Gary Patterson from Fairmount. The sheriff’s office responded to the scene shortly after 7 a.m. following the accident.
Monroe County Coroner Joey Proctor arrived at the site around 7:30 a.m. and reported that seven workers were on duty overnight handling chickens, based on information from an investigator.
“None of the workers admitted to operating the forklift, so investigators are still trying to clarify what exactly occurred,” Proctor said. After examining the body, he noted that the injuries were concentrated in the pelvis, hips, legs, and abdomen.
Thomas Vanhuss, CEO of Vanhuss Poultry, explained that Patterson was a contracted driver responsible for delivering chickens to Purdue and was not employed by the poultry company.
Currently, investigators do not suspect foul play, but the case remains under investigation.
