Tragic news out of Connecticut, where a 23-year-old man from Georgia has died following a fall at Sleeping Giant State Park, the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) confirmed this week.
William Gatch of Statesboro, Georgia, was identified as the victim of the Monday, April 6th incident. At approximately 11:45 a.m. that day, the DEEP Dispatch Center received a call reporting that a hiker had fallen from an unmarked trail within the park.
Emergency responders located Gatch in the woods, where he was found to have sustained significant injuries from the fall. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
DEEP’s Environmental Conservation Police are leading the investigation. As part of standard protocol, EnCon is coordinating with the State’s Attorney’s Office in New Haven and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which will determine the official cause and manner of death. Preliminary findings suggest the incident was accidental.
DEEP acknowledged the assistance of the Hamden Police Department, Hamden Fire Department, and emergency medical crews from American Medical Response in their response to the scene.
Sleeping Giant State Park, located in Hamden, Connecticut, features a network of trails across more than 1,500 acres. Hikers are advised to stay on marked trails when visiting the park.
Our deepest thoughts and condolences are with the friends and family of the deceased at this time.
