The Howard County Coroner’s Office reported a fatal incident that occurred during the Saturday before the Howard County fair that involved a food vendor employee.
On Saturday, July 6 just before 6:30 p.m., Community Howard Regional Health EMS, Greentown First Responders and the Howard County Sheriff’s Office were reportedly dispatched to the Greentown Fire Station located at 224 N. Meridian St. in Greentown for a report of an unconscious-unresponsive male. Further reports informed first responders that CPR was in progress as personnel were enroute to the location.
Responders were reportedly advised by dispatch that the subject had been transported from the Howard County Fairgrounds by co-workers to the fire station where CPR procedures were initiated. When EMS from Community Howard Regional Health arrived on the scene, the responders reportedly began administering advanced cardiac life support while a helicopter was requested to respond to the scene. Following 30 minutes of lifesaving measures and continued medical assessment, the emergency department physician was consulted and the subject was pronounced deceased at 7:16 p.m. on July 6, authorities report.
Upon arrival of the corner’s office investigators, the decedent was identified as a food vendor company employee named Jose Julian Garcia Oropeza, 36, from Venezuela. Preliminary investigations showed that Oropeza was working at the fairgrounds to set up for the Howard County 4-H Fair that began on Monday when he and others were electrically shocked and Oropeza became unconscious and unresponsive, reports state. Oropeza’s coworkers reportedly transported him immediately to the Greentown Fire Station where emergency responders were requested and CPR was started.
An autopsy was conducted on Monday, July 8 at the Howard County Coroner’s Office with initial findings being consistent with electrocution, but the final cause and manner of death are pending the completion of the investigation and forensic lab results, authorities report.
The case remains under investigation by the Howard County Coroner’s Office, Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Howard County Sheriff’s Office.
Community members with any additional information are instructed to call the Howard County Coroner’s Office at 765-456-1186 or the Howard County Sheriff’s Office at 765-457-1105.