Colorado Oilfield Worker Reportedly Loses Legs In Mishap

The victim has been identified as 36-year-old Samuel E. Ruiz, no hometown given. According to a report from the Lt. Dennis Aulsten of the Logan County Sheriff's Office, Ruiz was crushed between a semi-tractor and the trailer.

"From all indications of the investigation, this was accidental," Aulsten said. "The subject was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and was crushed between a semi tractor and the trailer.  (We) don't know the condition of Mr. Ruiz at this time.  It did crush both of his legs (below) the knees."

Jeff Hunker, chief of the Crook Fire Department, said an ambulance, engine, command vehicle and SCAT were dispatched from Crook Fire at 8:14 a.m. Thursday to the area of County Roads 78 and 79 at the report of an oil field accident.

According to Shannon Odiet of Medical Air Rescue Co., a MARC helicopter was dispatched sometime after 9 a.m. from Sidney Municipal Airport. He said an exact time wasn't immediately available. Odiet said his company transported the victim to Sterling Regional MedCenter, where the patient was stabilized, and later transported by fixed-wing air ambulance to Denver Health Medical Center.

Source: Journal Advocate