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Global News
3 days ago
- Global News
Alaska man survives being pinned for hours underneath 700-pound boulder
An Alaska man who was pinned facedown in an icy creek by a 700-pound boulder for three hours survived the ordeal with only minor injuries. Kell Morris, 61, said he is one of the luckiest men alive, thanks in part to his wife's quick thinking and lots of luck. 'And luckier that I have such a great wife,' Morris told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Morris' wife held his head above water to prevent him from drowning while waiting for rescuers to arrive after Morris was pinned by the boulder, which crashed onto him during a hike near a remote glacier south of Anchorage. The couple decided to hike on the remote trail to avoid the crowd of tourists that visit the Kenai Peninsula during Memorial Day weekend. This June 4, 2023, photo shows Kell Morris, left, and his wife Jo Roop, in Sandpoint, Idaho. Kell Morris via AP He said his second stroke of luck came when a sled dog tourism company that operates on the glacier overheard the 911 dispatch and offered to send its helicopter to the scene where Morris was trapped, which was inaccessible to all-terrain vehicles. Story continues below advertisement It took seven men and inflatable airbags to lift the boulder off Morris as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Morris' wife, Jo Roop, a retired Alaska State Trooper, said they moved to Seward from Idaho last fall when she took a job with the local police department. The couple decided to hike near Godwin Glacier on an isolated and undeveloped trail behind a state prison. The trail had a rocky creek bed lined with large boulders deposited by the glacier. Morris said he noticed dangerous boulders along the banks of the creek and tried to avoid them, until he ran into an area he couldn't pass. That's when a 700-pound boulder came tumbling down and pinned him in the creek, similar to the James Franco biographical film, 127 Hours, where a mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone in Utah. 'I was coming back and everything, the whole side slid out from under me,' Morris said, noting that that's when he felt the boulder hit his back. Seward Fire Chief Clinton Crites described it as 'basically an avalanche of boulders.' 0:45 Australian woman stuck upside down between 2 boulders for 7 hours after dropping phone When Morris landed, there were rocks under him, in between his legs and around him that caught the weight of the boulder, preventing him from being crushed, according to Crites. But the one massive rock still had him pinned and Morris felt pain in his left leg and said he was waiting for his femur to snap. Story continues below advertisement 'When it first happened, I was doubtful that there was going to be a good outcome,' Morris said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Roop tried to free him for about 30 minutes by putting rocks under the boulder and trying to roll it off him before she left him to go and find a phone signal to call for help. She walked nearly 300 metres to connect with 911 and used her law enforcement experience to send the exact GPS co-ordinates to dispatch to help save her husband. After the Bear Creek Fire Department heard the call, it diverted the helicopter and firefighters jumped out to help move the boulder. By the time the firefighters arrived, Morris was hypothermic from the cold water running off the glacier, Crites said. 'I think if we hadn't had that private helicopter assist us, it would have taken us at least another 45 minutes to get to him, and I'm not sure he had that much time,' Crites said. The firefighters used ropes, 'brute force' and two airbags that are normally used to extract people from wrecked vehicles to slightly lift the boulder. 'But then it just became an all-hands brute force of 'one, two, three, push,'' Crites shared. 'And seven guys were able to lift it enough to pull the victim out.' Story continues below advertisement 'Once out of the water, the crew re-warmed the patient, and he became more alert, and his vitals improved. It was determined there was not an effective and safe manner to bring the patient down the canyon,' according to the Seward Fire Department. 'The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center through the Alaska State Troopers was contacted for assistance. The AKRCC dispatched the 176th Wing Air National Guard Pararescue Jumpers to hoist the patient out of the canyon and transfer him to the awaiting ambulance.' An Alaska National Guard helicopter lifted them out of the creek bed with a rescue blanket and Morris spent two nights at Seward Providence Hospital for observation before walking away unscathed. 1:50 Dog rescued after being trapped under boulder 'I fully anticipated a body recovery, not him walking away without a scratch on him,' Crites said. Story continues below advertisement 'I was very lucky. God was looking out for me,' Morris said. The Seward Fire Department said there is 'no doubt that without the help from Seward Helicopter tours this incident could have had a much different and potentially fatal outcome.' 'It is community members and businesses that we work so well with that make our jobs easier and more productive. We send a huge thanks to Seward Helicopter Tours, Pilot Neo Martinson & Sam Paperman, Seward Fire and Bear Creek Fire responders, AK State Troopers, AKRCC, the 176th Air Wing, and SVAC for making this a successful rescue,' the fire department added in its news release. Morris said that when he goes hiking with his wife this weekend, they will stick to authorized trails. 'We're going to stop the trailblazing,' he said. Story continues below advertisement A similar situation took place in December 2023, when a hiker became trapped under a large boulder in the Inyo Mountains in California, located between Sequoia and Death Valley national parks. Inyo County Search & Rescue, a volunteer organization that works in tandem with the Inyo County Sheriff's Office, said it was alerted about the trapped hiker on the afternoon of Dec. 5. The team 'arrived at the hiker's location well after dark,' and found the hiker 'in great pain with his left leg pinned beneath a large boulder on a steep hillside,' according to a Facebook post. View image in full screen After a hiker became trapped under a large boulder in the Inyo Mountains, rescuers worked through the night to free him. Inyo County Search & Rescue Rescuers estimated that the boulder weighed somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 pounds. With 'limited resources' to lift the heavy boulder, rescuers fashioned a system of ropes and pulleys and used leverage to shift the rock enough to free the trapped hiker. Story continues below advertisement The hiker suffered serious injuries. — With files from Global News and The Associated Press
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Man survives after being trapped face down under a 300 kg rock for three hours
Image: AP An Alaska man miraculously survived after being pinned face down in an icy creek by a 300 kg boulder for nearly three hours. The incident occurred during a hike near the remote Godwin Glacier, south of Anchorage. Kell Morris, 61, escaped with only minor injuries thanks to his wife's quick thinking and the timely response of emergency teams. The boulder, dislodged during a sudden rockslide, landed on his back as he fell down an embankment. Despite the remote location, his wife managed to call for help, and a nearby tour helicopter was crucial in reaching him in time. How peaceful hike ended in screams under a giant rock Kell Morris and his wife Jo Roop, a retired Alaska State Trooper, were out for a hike over Memorial Day weekend to avoid the crowds. They chose a rugged trail near Seward that followed a rocky creek bed filled with large boulders. While navigating the area, the ground beneath Morris suddenly collapsed, causing him to tumble 20 feet and land face down in freezing water. Moments later, a 300 kg boulder fell and pinned him in place. Quick thinking and teamwork saved Kell Morris's life When Kell Morris was trapped under a heavy boulder, his wife Jo Roop acted fast to save him. She first tried to move the rock herself by placing smaller rocks underneath to roll it off, but it was too heavy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Successful Way of Intraday Trading is "Market Profile" TradeWise Learn More Undo Realising she needed help, she walked about 300 metres until she found a mobile signal and called 911. Thanks to her experience as a police officer, she was able to give precise GPS coordinates to emergency services. While waiting for help, she held Kell's head above the freezing water to stop him from drowning. A nearby sled dog tour company heard the emergency call and quickly sent one of their helicopters to the rescue. The location was too rough for vehicles, so firefighters had to jump out of the hovering helicopter onto the rocky creek bed to reach Kell. By this time, Kell was very cold and losing consciousness. The rescue team used inflatable airbags, usually meant for car accidents, to gently lift the boulder just enough. Then seven rescuers combined their strength to push the rock off Kell and pull him free. After that, an Alaska National Guard helicopter airlifted him to hospital. Despite the terrifying situation, Kell survived with only minor injuries thanks to quick thinking and teamwork. A miraculous escape and a lesson learned Morris later reflected on his incredible escape, calling himself 'the luckiest man alive.' He credited his survival to his wife's bravery, the swift emergency response, and divine luck. The couple now plans to avoid off-trail hikes in future. 'We're going to stop the trailblazing,' Morris said with a smile. Seward Helicopter Tours and local fire departments were praised for their fast action. Their teamwork and timing were crucial in saving Morris's life. The incident serves as a reminder of nature's unpredictability and the importance of safety when venturing into remote area.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
State Police: Peabody man arrested after speeding 120 mph in Ossipee
New Hampshire State Police have arrested a Peabody man after he was driving over double the speed limit. According to police, around 2:49 PM on Sunday, a State Trooper was patrolling Route 16 in Ossipee when he saw a black BMW driving at 120 miles per hour. The trooper successfully conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as 28-year-old Jacob Driscoll of Peabody, Massachusetts. Driscoll was taken into custody and charged with reckless operation. He was released on bail for personal recognizance and is scheduled to appear in Ossipee District Court on July 30. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Karen Read's voicemails to John O'Keefe played in murder trial: 'I f---ing hate you'
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways "John, I f---ing hate you," Karen Read allegedly told her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, a minute after walking into his house without him. It was the morning he died, and she had just driven there from the crime scene, according to Massachusetts investigators. Special prosecutor Hank Brennan played a series of voicemails that Read allegedly left after authorities said she struck him with an SUV and left him to die in a blizzard. Massachusetts State Trooper Nicholas Guarino returned to the stand Tuesday to read through text messages and phone calls between Read and O'Keefe from the evening of Jan. 28, 2022, into the following morning, when Read was among three women who found him. Records show Read's phone connected to the Wi-Fi at O'Keefe's home at 12:36 a.m. on the 29th, Guarino said. Read made more than 50 calls to O'Keefe that morning but did not leave a voicemail every time. KAREN READ TRIAL: CANTON COP EXPLAINS USING LEAF BLOWER, RED SOLO CUPS, STOP & SHOP BAG FOR EVIDENCE Read On The Fox News App At 12:37 a.m., she left the first of eight voicemails for O'Keefe. "John, I f---ing hate you," she said, in a recording played in court. By then, prosecutors allege O'Keefe had been mortally injured by the rear end of Read's Lexus SUV and left for dead as a blizzard picked up strength. At 12:41 a.m., she left a second voicemail that included no spoken words. Guarino said it may have been a "butt dial." She texted him twice, "I'm going home," and "see u later." Jennifer Mccabe Doubles Down On Karen Read's Alleged 'I Hit Him' Confession But Can't Find It In Paper Trail Karen Read and John O'Keefe In a third voicemail at 12:59 a.m., Read said "John, I'm here with your f---ing kids, Nobody knows where the f--- you are, you f---ing pervert." O'Keefe adopted his niece and nephew after their parents, his sister and brother-in-law, died within months of one another. A fourth voicemail, left a minute later, was one second long and included no words. She then texted that she had returned to Mansfield, where she lived at the time, and that his children were "alone." She appears to have been lying about leaving his house, however. Karen Read Scores Major Win As Judge Allows Crash Reconstruction Testimony Evidence video of Karen Read being interviewed by a TV station is shown during her trial, May 6, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. At 1:10 a.m., she left a fifth voicemail. "Yeah, it's 1 in the morning. I'm with your f---ing niece and nephew, you f---ing pervert," Read said in a fifth voicemail. "You're a f---ing pervert." At 1:17 a.m., she accused him of cheating on her with another woman. "You're a f---ing loser, go f--- yourself," she said. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES FROM THE Fox True Crime Hub She stopped calling him between 1:18 a.m. and 4:38 a.m, when unanswered calls picked up again. Grace Edwards, an Essex County-based criminal defense attorney who has been closely following the case, told Fox News Digital that the calls paint Read as someone who was unaware of O'Keefe's death at the time. "They are of a hysterical girlfriend, frantic," she said. "She doesn't know what happened." At 5:23 a.m., she left him a seventh voicemail. She kept calling until leaving an eighth voicemail at 6:03 a.m., around the time Read, Jennifer McCabe and Kerry Roberts found O'Keefe unresponsive outside 34 Fairview Road. This view shows 34 Fairview Road in Canton, Mass., where former Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe's body was found in January 2022. His girlfriend at the time, Karen Read, is on trial for his murder. "I think there's a ton of holes in the prosecution," said David Gelman, a Philadelphia-area defense attorney who has been following the case. "Tons of reasonable doubt." The calls indicate that Read didn't know O'Keefe was dead until she arrived at the scene, which is a boon for the defense, he said. "Devil's advocate, though, is that she was covering her tracks by doing this and is calculated," he said. Karen Read Crash Expert Admits He Sent Notes To Defense, Broke Sequestration Order In First Trial Brennan introduced the voicemails after court started Tuesday with former Canton Police Lt. Paul Gallagher on the stand for a second day of grueling cross-examination. Read's lead defense attorney, Alan Jackson, grilled him about routine investigatory steps that were not taken on the morning of Jan. 29, 2022, including searching the house and canvassing the neighborhood for surveillance video. The house across the street belonged to another Canton police lieutenant who had an Arlo home security camera over his front door. Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X Massachusetts State Trooper Lt. Kevin O'Hara testifies during the Karen Read trial on May 6, 2025. Gallagher authorized the use of red Solo cups to collect blood evidence, which were then stored in a paper bag from a supermarket. He testified that he could not verify the chain of custody of the evidence. When Read's SUV and the Solo cups were given over to state police, Jackson pointed out, the unsealed bag was just inches from the damaged taillight. He also used a leaf blower to move snow that had fallen on top of O'Keefe's blood and a broken cocktail glass on the lawn. Gallagher testified that he has both a professional and personal relationship with Brian Higgins, a member of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who was at the Alberts' home for an after-party around the time of O'Keefe's death. SIGN UP TO GET True Crime Newsletter Karen Read is shown during her trial on May 6, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. Also taking the stand was Massachusetts State Police Lt. Kevin O'Hara, whose search team recovered O'Keefe's shoe from the scene after 5 p.m. on Jan. 29. They also found a half dozen pieces of broken taillight, he testified. O'Hara's team prioritized searching the street, worried that a plow could come by and disturb evidence. They left without searching the lawn due to weather conditions and other factors, but he offered to return later. He did not receive a callback, he said. Under cross-examination, O'Hara testified that the scene was not secured at the time he arrived and that members of the Canton Police Department arrived during the search. However, he said they did not take part. Robert Gilman, a forensic meteorologist, explained the blizzard conditions and heavy snowfall recorded between Jan. 28 and Jan. 29. Canton Police Lt. Charles Rae testified as Brennan played dashcam video from a wellness check he performed at O'Keefe's address around 8:23 a.m. on Jan. 29; it appeared to show damage to Read's taillight, which was parked in the driveway in front of his marked vehicle when he arrived. Read has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, manslaughter and fleeing the scene, and she has denied striking O'Keefe entirely. She could face life in prison if convicted. Original article source: Karen Read's voicemails to John O'Keefe played in murder trial: 'I f---ing hate you'
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
Family of former Alabama State Trooper sues drivers involved in deadly crash that took his life
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The family of a former Alabama State Trooper who was killed in a wreck last year has sued two drivers involved in the crash. Daryl Brown, who served as a trooper for 28 years before retiring in 2009, was killed on Aug. 8, 2024, when the 2012 Hyundai Accent he was driving was hit by a car reportedly driven by Daaron Michael Crooks along I-59 near the Fosters community. In that collision, Brown's car was forced into another lane, where it was hit by a Freightliner tractor-trailer. Brown, who had been serving as a security guard at the Tuscaloosa Federal Courthouse since his retirement, was pronounced dead at the scene. In a lawsuit filed by Brown's family, Crooks and Luis Rembert Garcia, the driver of the tractor-trailer, are accused of negligence and wrongful death. Attorneys representing Brown's family claim that Crooks was driving 107 miles per hour when he collided with Brown. They also claim Garcia was driving too closely to Brown at the time. Crooks was recently indicted on manslaughter charges in Brown's death. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
