Updated: In the original version of this article, DPS told us this man fell from a power line, the Hale County Sheriff’s Office corrected that he actually fell from a tower.
Federal regulators on Thursday indicated an accident late Wednesday morning in Hale County would be investigated. The Texas Department Safety said they responded on the scene to find a man on the ground who had fallen. The Hale County Sheriff’s Office said they were called to that scene at around noon, arriving to find the man north of Abernathy at County Road P and FM 54. HCSO said that man had fallen from a tower.
DPS said he was seriously injured after he fell a distance of 80 feet. He was taken to University Medical Center in Lubbock by Aerocare.
HCSO identified the man as a 25-year-old from Gordon, Alabama by the name of Michael Deshawn Ray.
As of Thursday evening, the Ray was listed in critical condition.
The man’s employer, North Houston Power Line Company, issued a brief statement Thursday: “We did have an employee yesterday who was injured. He is recovering in the hospital and the accident is under investigation”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said, “We can confirm OSHA is investigating this incident which occurred yesterday. While there is no way of knowing how long the investigation will take, by law, OSHA has up to six months to complete it. We cannot comment further while the investigation is ongoing.”