A 62 year-old Connor fisherman was struck and killed by a falling tree on Sunday afternoon, during one of several wind events that occurred in Ravalli County. 

Sheriff Chris Hoffman said the initial call came in to 9-1-1 just before 1 p.m. about several trees that had fallen due to the high winds and had blocked Highway 93.

"The trees were reported down near mile marker 19 on U.S. 93, about four miles south of Connor," Hoffman said. "There were also reports of power outages in the area. Emergency crews were dispatched and traffic was blocked in both directions for about two hours."

Hoffman said responders were alerted down to the Bitterroot River bottom by barking dogs.

"At about 1:25 p.m. members of the Sula Fire Department heard dogs barking in the river bottom and went down to investigate," he said. "They located a man who had been hit by a blown-down tree. Although they were able to lift the tree off the man, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The individual was a 62 year-old Connor man, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin."

Hoffman said the wind in the Bitterroot Valley had caused a great deal of damage on Sunday.

"This was apparently caused by one of several high-wind events that blew through the area this morning and early this afternoon."

No other details have yet been released.

 

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