Sheldon Medford, Lewiston, Idaho teen crushed to death after boulder randomly falls on top of him while camping and fishing in Ahsakha with his friend who survived the tragedy.
An 18 year old teen has died after a boulder fell on him while camping and fishing in Idaho and crushing him to death.
Sheldon Medford, 18, of Lewiston, Idaho, was identified as the victim who was killed over the weekend after a large boulder fell on him, pinning him, the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office stated in a release.
Notice of the tragedy, since described as an ‘accident’ came just on 9.35 p.m, Saturday, June 7th in in Ahsahka.
At what cost the wildlife?
Authorities said the boulder fell on Medford about 1 mile down Northfork Drive. When they got to the area, they found Medford ‘pinned under a large boulder,’ deputies said. He died at the scene.
Medford was camping and fishing with a friend, The Lewiston Tribune reported.
The falling boulder rolled from above the riverbank, hit his friend on the arm and crushed Medford, who had been fishing, the news outlet reported, citing the sheriff’s office.
Medford was likely killed instantly according to Sheriff Chris Goetz.
The boulder was roughly 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet, Goetz said. It came from the top of the riverbank — not from the canyon hills above — and rolled toward Medford, who was fishing close to the river.
As far as authorities can determine, it was just a random occurrence that the boulder fell.
It remained unclear if there had been prior reports of falling boulders and if the area was known for such occurrences.
‘Sheldon and I have had some good memories together like shed hunting, turkey hunting and bear hunting, fishing,’ his friend Hunter Brown wrote in a Facebook post. ‘He was a awesome guy always willing to help when you need and help and always willing to do anything,’ Brown wrote.
Sister, Ariel Sackett, said the ‘tragic’ and ‘sudden’ accident ‘has left a void in our hearts,’ in a statement according to a GoFundMe page set up to support the family.
‘Sheldon touched so many throughout his life with his loving heart, kindness, laughter and love for the outdoors,’ Sackett wrote. ‘Sheldon was so much more than just a son and brother; he was a best friend, a partner in crime, an avid outdoorsman, a free spirit and a true source of joy and silliness.’
Sackett added that the family is planning to hold a celebration of life for Medford. A date had yet to be set.
Ahsahka is about a 255-mile drive north from Boise.
