COLUMBIA — A tragic industrial accident at a sandpit in Tyrrell County claimed the life of Kendle Davis, a bulldozer operator on Monday, after his machine slid into a deep water-filled pit.
A devoted father, Davis, 41, was a member of the National Guard, with expertise in military equipment and technology.
Originally from Scranton, Davis was an alumnus of Mattasmuskeet High School and lived in Ponzer, a community in Hyde County. Davis is remembered by those who knew him as a hard-working individual who was skilled in his trade, fun to be around.
“My thoughts and prayers are with his family. When attending to school together, Kendle was always nice. He and another classmates made jokes and always were a pleasure to be around. He helped light up the room. God, please give his family comfort and help them during this difficult time,” Lena Gibbs Lynn posted to social media.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
According to the Tyrrell County Sheriff’s Office, the tragic incident occurred at a sandpit operation off U.S. Highway 264, just east of Columbia — that’s where that Google screenshot comes from. TCSO identified the victim as Kendle Davis, a bulldozer operator who was pushing dirt into the pit at the time of the accident.
Authorities say Davis was working alone when the bulldozer apparently got too close to the edge and fell into the water. Investigators believe the heavy machine may have given way on unstable ground near the edge of the pit, plunging both the bulldozer and Davis into the deep water below.
At approximately 8:30 p.m., Davis’s body was located by divers in approximately 30 feet of water. The bulldozer was completely submerged in the pit and was not visible from the surface. The recovery of the machine was completed the following day.
Officials are uncertain exactly when the incident happened. However, the last signal from Davis’s cell phone was detected around noon, suggesting the accident occurred around that time. When Davis could not be reached, the job site foreman went to check on him and found no sign of either the bulldozer or its operator. At approximately 2:40 p.m., the sheriff’s office was contacted to report the operator missing.
A coordinated search and recovery operation was launched, involving dive teams, local fire departments, EMS personnel, and multiple sheriff’s offices from surrounding counties. Crews worked through the afternoon and into the evening. The incident is still under investigation.
Per TCSO, there were several teams out there including the Sydney Dive team, divers from Hyde County and Chowan County Sheriff’s Offices, Tyrrell Fire Dept, there was a team from Hertford County that had a boat and sonar, NC Wildlife, Washington/Tyrrell EMS, Tyrrell County Emergency Management, divers from Perquimans County.
On behalf of Northeastern NC, the Albemarle Observer says thanks for your service.