FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sunday, December 13, 2020                                                                                              CONTACT: Chief Deputy Chris Stratton

(513)732-7648

On 12/13/20, at 1:06pm the Clermont County Communications Center received a 911 call  reporting a tree trimming accident had occurred in the 400 block of SR 222 in Franklin Township. Felicity-Franklin Fire & EMS along with Sheriff’s Deputies  responded to the scene.

Upon arrival, Felicity- Franklin Fire/EMS personnel made contact with George Shelton Jr. who was attempting to retract a man lift/bucket that his father was inside of when a tree reportedly fell onto the bucket. Upon arrival, Sheriff’s Deputies identified the male in the lift bucket as George Steven Shelton, age 67 of Felicity. George Shelton  was helping his son trim and remove a number of trees from the property on SR 222. Shelton was operating a Genie man lift in order to cut sections from the top of trees, allowing them to drop the ground. While cutting top sections of a tree, a tree trunk, approximately 10 feet in length, fell landing on Shelton while he was in the bucket of the man lift.  Shelton was approximately 50ft off the ground at the time at the incident.

Felicity Fire Department personnel were unable to get the lift to retract down far enough to remove Shelton from the bucket. Bethel-Tate Fire Department responded with a tower truck and safely removed Shelton from the lift, in order to begin life saving measures.

AirCare was requested at the scene by EMS and arrived at 1:34pm. AirCare continued with life saving measures, however were unable revive Shelton. The AirCare doctor on the scene pronounced Shelton dead at 2:15pm. The Clermont County  Sheriff’s Investigative Unit responded to process scene and interview witnesses. The Clermont County Coroner’s Investigator responded to the scene and the body of George Steven Shelton was released to the Mcintyre Funeral Home in Felicity.