Man steps to his death when he ends up directly under falling tree, FL cops say

Tree trimming turned deadly in a Florida yard when a man mistakenly stepped into the trajectory of a falling tree, according to investigators.

It happened Tuesday, Sept. 16, on a dead-end road south of DeLand, about a 40-mile drive northeast from Orlando.

“The 22-year-old victim and his co-worker were cutting trees on George Ryan Road around 9:40 a.m. The victim’s co-worker was up in a bucket truck with a chainsaw and announced he was going to begin cutting the tree after observing the area below was clear,” the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

“The victim, who was further back near a truck, returned to the area underneath where his co-worker was cutting and was hit with a falling tree trunk.”

His companion called 911 and tried to revive the man. However, paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene, officials said. Details of his injuries were not released.

“The investigation has determined this was an accidental death,” the sheriff’s office said.

This story was originally published September 17, 2025 at 7:28 AM with the headline "Man steps to his death when he ends up directly under falling tree, FL cops say."