Sheriff identifies utility worker killed by falling tree in Alexander County

ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — Channel 9 has learned that a utility worker was killed overnight in Alexander County.

Officials told Eyewitness News that the worker, 31-year-old Brian Wilmoth, was killed around 4:15 a.m. at the intersection of Mountain Ridge Church Road and Dover Church Road near Taylorsville.

Alexander County Sheriff Chris Bowman told Channel 9 that Wilmoth, who was from Wilkes County and worked for Asplundh Company, was clearing a line trying to restore power. He was using a chainsaw to cut a tree that had fallen across power lines when the lines suddenly sprang upward, throwing the tree onto him.

Wilmoth died at the scene.

"Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye," Bowman said.

The sheriff said crews had been working all night trying to restore power to citizens who have been in the dark since storms rolled through Monday evening.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.

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