The owner of a backhoe and septic service was killed yesterday when he crawled under one of his trucks and his clothing became entangled in the shaft of an operating pump.
David Arnold, 51, who has lived and operated the business in the 7200 block of Woodbine Road since the early 1960s, was pronounced dead by Dr. Richard Jones, associate medical examiner in Carroll County.
Mr. Arnold was found by his son James about 12:30 p.m. yesterday, 100 yards from the company's office and shop, located at the end of a long driveway off Woodbine Road
The owner of the septic business was last seen by his son-in-law Ric Mayne when he left a job in Mount Airy at 8:45 a.m. Mr. Mayne said he believed Mr. Arnold drove directly to Woodbine Road to unload 4,000 gallons of waste into a 20,000-gallon holding tank.
James Arnold and two company secretaries had been trying to contact the owner by radio for more than two hours before the younger Mr. Arnold discovered the accident. It is not known how long Mr. Arnold had been trapped under the truck before he was found.
Mr. Mayne, who has worked for his father-in-law for 16 years, said he did not know why the man had crawled under the truck, particularly because the ground was snow-covered.
Investigators from Maryland Occupational Safety and Health agency are investigating the accident.