The Cincinnati Enquirer

PETERSBURG - A Cincinnati Bell worker died Wednesday in western Boone County after becoming entangled in a spool of telephone wire.

Cletus Charles Woeste, 58, of Villa Hills was pronounced dead at the scene. The official cause of death was severe head injuries.

Woeste was hanging lines along a gravel road when his clothing or safety belt was caught in a winding spool of wire, said Boone County Coroner Doug Stith.

Woeste was last seen alive between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. Wednesday. He was found by a nearby resident about 2 p.m.

The Petersburg volunteer fire department responded to the scene. Fire Chief Bill Birkle said the death appeared to be accidental, and Boone County police said they were not investigating.

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration could not be reached Wednesday evening for comment.

Stith said Woeste had returned to the gravel road near the 3200 block of Ashby Fork Road to complete a job.

Stith described the gravel road as located in a rural area near some mobile homes.

Libby Korosec, director of communications for Cincinnati Bell, said Woeste had been a lineman for 34 years.

She added that the company will thoroughly investigate the accident.