NASELLE – A Centralia man died in a logging accident Wednesday when a shovel loader he was operating toppled several hundred yards down a steep embankment in the Fossil Creek area of Pacific County, the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office said.

The victim is 50-year-old William J. Leonard. His body was discovered inside the cab of the shovel he had been operating for EDB Logging. The accident happened on Rayonier Forestry Land.

A co-worker of the victim reported the incident. Witness statements and evidence observed at the scene indicate the victim was “shovel logging” a steep side hill. It appeared the shovel had been moving decks of trees up the hill when it tipped over.