Victim identified in ditch collapse

Cause of cave-in still being probed

KOOTENAI — Bonner County Sheriff's officials have identified the man who was killed in a utility ditch cave-in on Thursday.

Jeffrey David Lester, a 47-year-old from Sagle, died when the side of the ditch gave way, trapping him. Sheriff's officials said Lester was extricated and transported to Bonner General Hospital, where he later died.

The industrial accident remains under investigation. Bonner County Sheriff's Capt. Jim Drake said additional information about the incident could not be released because the investigation remains ongoing.

Sheriff Elaine Savage said the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating the mishap.

Lester was working for Tucker Excavation & Pipeline of Sandpoint, according to Drake. The ditch collapse happened at 2:50 p.m. on the west side of North Kootenai Road, near the Kootenai Meadows Cutoff Road intersection.

The owners of the property where the accident took place were at the scene on Thursday but have declined to answer media inquiries. Drake said he wasn't sure late Friday if the work was in conjunction with private development or part of a public works project.