PAHRUMP, Nev. (AP) — Officials in Nevada are identifying a 55-year-old man found dead under a vehicle they think may have collapsed on him due to earthquakes last week in nearby Southern California.
Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly (WER'-lee) said Thursday that investigators might never know for sure what caused Troy Ray to become pinned beneath his Jeep outside his trailer home in rural Pahrump.
Sgt. Adam Tippetts says in an internet post that Ray was last seen alive at a nearby gas station July 3.
A day later, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near Ridgecrest, California, followed by a larger 7.1 temblor on July 5.
Ridgecrest is about 95 miles (153 kilometers) west of Pahrump.
Tippetts says Ray's death was ruled an accident resulting from asphyxia and blunt trauma.
