Ridgeland construction worker killed by palm tree on Hilton Head Island

A Ridgeland man was killed Thursday when a palm tree that fell from a trailer struck him on Hilton Head Island.

Marcos Garcia, 20, was working on a construction site in the area of 50 South Forest Beach Drive when the tree fell and struck him as he attempted to remove it from a trailer, according to Capt. Bob Bromage of the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue Division responded around 12:45 p.m. and transported him to Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah for treatment, according to spokeswoman Joheida Fister.

He was later pronounced dead and his body was sent to the Medical University of South Carolina for a forensic autopsy, Bromage said.

Garcia's death appeared to be accidental after the initial investigation, Bromage said, and the incident was reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

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This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Ridgeland construction worker killed by palm tree on Hilton Head Island."