Setauket Man Killed While Cutting Tree

By Timothy Bolger Posted on November 29, 2016

A 45-year-old tree trimmer from Setauket was killed while cutting a tree in Head of the Harbor on Monday morning.

Suffolk County police said Erik Halvorsen, owner of Norse Tree Service in Setauket, was 50 feet up in a tree that he was trying to cut down in Avalon Park & Preserve on Harbor Road when the trunk splintered and trapped Halvorsen against the tree at 11:15 a.m.

Halvorsen, who was wearing a safety harness, tried to free himself when he fell 20 feet, police said. An employee then lowered Halvorsen to the ground.

The victim was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Homicide Squad detectives are continuing the investigation.

About the Author

Timothy Bolger

Timothy Bolger is the Editor in Chief of the Long Island Press who’s been working to uncover unreported stories since shortly after it launched in 2003. When he’s not editing, getting hassled by The Man or fielding cold calls to the newsroom, he covers crime, general interest and political news in addition to reporting longer, sometimes investigative features. He won’t be happy until everyone is as pissed off as he is about how screwed up Lawn Guyland is.