By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 28-year-old Rochester resident was killed in a logging accident yesterday morning in Cowlitz County
The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies and aid called about 9 a.m. to the site roughly two miles west of Cougar learned that Kyle M. Schlesser died instantly when he was struck by a falling tree.
Schlesser and his partner, 43-year-old Owen Fickett of Onalaska, were falling separate trees when it happened, according to the sheriff’s office.
Fickett said he called out prior to dropping his tree to make sure Schlesser knew, and that the tree Fickett dropped hit a second tree which fell onto Schlesser.
The sheriff’s office said in a news release all indications are it was a very tragic accident.
Deputies were told Fickett has 23 years of logging experience without ever causing injury to himself or others. Schlesser has been logging nine years, the sheriff’s office stated.
He is the son of the owner of the logging company, James Schlesser, according to Chief Criminal Deputy Charlie Rozenzweig.