Erik Reyna-Wright, of Reading, was operating a bucket truck while trimming a hedgerow behind a residence in the 4000 block of Grant Street when the equipment reportedly came into contact with an electrical power line on Wednesday, June 10, according to Berks County Coroner Matthew J. Stitzel.
Berks County 911 received a report of the incident at 10:54 a.m. Emergency responders arrived and launched an investigation, while the coroner's office was notified and responded to the scene at 11:33 a.m., according to the release.
Reyna-Wright, who worked for New Castle Lawn & Landscape, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The company shared news of his death in a statement posted on social media.
"It is with extreme sadness that we share that we lost a dear member of our New Castle Lawn & Landscape family in a tragic accident," the company wrote.
"Since our founding in 1994, New Castle has been more than a company, we are a family. The people who make up this organization are its heart, and today we feel that deeply."
The company said it was "holding space for grief" for Reyna-Wright's loved ones and coworkers and announced its office would be closed on Thursday, June 11.
A GoFundMe launched for Reyna-Wright's family describes him as a hardworking and devoted family man whose life centered around his wife and daughters.
"Erik was a loving husband, a cherished son, and the proud father of two beautiful young daughters who meant everything to him," organizer Yamilet Ruiz wrote on the fundraiser page.
The fundraiser says Reyna-Wright "spent his life putting others before himself" and that his sudden death has left his family facing emotional and financial hardship.
The campaign, which was created to help cover funeral and memorial expenses and support his wife and children, had raised more than $18,000 of its $30,000 goal from more than 150 donors as of Thursday afternoon.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was notified and sent an investigator from Harrisburg to Exeter Township as part of an ongoing workplace safety investigation, according to the coroner's office.
The coroner's office was assisted at the scene by Exeter Township Police Department, Exeter Fire Company, Penn State Health EMS, and Met-Ed Electric Company.
An autopsy was scheduled at Reading Hospital. The cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
New details were shared through a family fundraiser and a statement released by New Castle Lawn & Landscape following Reyna-Wright's death.
Additional details about Reyna-Wright's life were not immediately available. His loved ones are invited to share information with Daily Voice by emailing [email protected].
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