Overview
- Police identified the victim as 32-year-old Aaron Cottrell of New Salem after troopers found him on Laurel Hill Road in Dunbar Township.
- Investigators found a pole saw and a backpack at the scene and say those items support their view that he was trying to remove wiring from an energized line when he was electrocuted.
- The Pennsylvania State Police opened an active investigation and have warned the public that high-voltage lines can stay energized and must not be handled by unauthorized persons.
- Duquesne Light issued safety guidance after the incident and after a separate recent electrical injury in the region, urging residents to treat lines as energized and to call the utility for protective measures.
- Reporting is ongoing and authorities have not released further findings or any charges while the inquiry continues.