Man found dead in Daniel Boone Forest

Police say a Corbin man found dead Monday in a remote area of the Daniel Boone National Forest was likely the victim of an unfortunate accident.
Eugene Sears, 38, was found underneath the rear tires of his 1974 Ford service truck by a pair of hikers early Monday afternoon. The Whitley County Major Crimes Task Force was activated to investigate the case at about 2:00 p.m. and quickly ruled out foul play.
“It appears that he was caught under the truck,” Kentucky State Police Detective Colan Harrell said. He was the lead investigator in the case.
“Maybe the truck jumped out of gear. It looks like he lost his footing and went under the truck. The rear wheels scotched him into a mound of dirt and led to his death.”
Sears was discovered on a dead end path that leads off a U.S. Forest Service road near Devils Creek Road. Hikers commonly go to the area to view a small natural arch.
“I seen the truck and never really paid any attention to it,” the man who discovered Sears said. “I thought someone was out here squirrel hunting or something. Then I saw his feet and thought he might have been working on his truck. When I got closer, I saw he wasn’t breathing or moving or making any noise.”
The man said he and a female acquaintance were walking to the arch when they found Sears. They drove to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department offices in Williamsburg to report the incident.
Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley said he officially pronounced Sears dead about 3:15 p.m. He said Sears had likely been dead for more than eight hours when he was discovered, but doesn’t think the man was in the woods for more than a day.