Earthquake may be to blame for death of man found pinned under car, Nevada officials say

It appeared the man was working on the vehicle when it fell on him, and the accident may have been caused by a July 4 6.4-magnitude earthquake.

A 56-year-old man was found dead pinned underneath a vehicle Tuesday in Nevada, and officials say an earthquake may be to blame.

The man was last seen at a gas station July 3 and was likely killed while working on his car the following day, Nye County, Nevada, sheriff’s Sgt. Adam Tippetts said in a video statement.

“This death may be the result of the vehicle falling off the jacks on July 4 during the earthquake,” Tippetts said in the statement.

Possible earthquake-related death investigated in Nye County

The Nye County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday night that a man died in Pahrump possibly as a result of the July 4 earthquake that rocked the Mojave Desert.

Deputies were called about 1 p.m. Tuesday to the area of Becky Lane and East Fort Churchill Road on a report of a man pinned beneath a vehicle, according to a Sheriff’s Office video release. They found the man, 56, pinned under a red, rusted Jeep that was resting on car jacks.

“Based on preliminary timing and circumstances at the scene, the Nye County Sheriff’s investigation reveals that this death may be the result of the vehicle falling off of the jacks on July 4 during the earthquake,” Sgt. Adam Tippetts said in the release.

The man was last seen alive on July 3 at a gas station, and it appeared he had been working on the vehicle at the time of his death, Tippetts said.

If deputies’ theory proves true, his death may be the first fatality as a result of last week’s earthquakes.

“As far as we know, it is,” Nye County Lt. David Boruchowitz said Tuesday night, “or it would be if we could confirm that.”

Tippetts said the Sheriff’s Office was withholding the man’s identity pending notification of his next of kin. Further information would be released at the conclusion of their investigation, he said.