Aguilar-Torres was traveling southbound on Helvetia Road, failed to negotiate a curve and struck a power pole. The impact moved the pole and several tree limbs thirty feet down the road rolling the car onto it’s side. The pole and nearby tree caught fire.

Ruben Siuina-Sum, 5-23-78, a passenger in the vehicle, left the scene.

Aguilar-Torres reportedly crawled out of the car and may have been reaching to cut the line, with a pair of pruning shears found, in his hand, when an arcing wire caught him under the rib cage sending a 75-hundred volt of electricity through his body.

The deputy medical examiner pronounced Aguilar-Torres dead at the scene. The cause of death is electrocution. Alcohol may have contributed to this accident.

Siunia-Sum was taken into custody, this morning May 31st, on an unrelated warrant, after trying to get a ride from an area not far from the accident.

Submitted on 05/31/2006

Submitted by: David Thompson
Reference: Washington cnty Sheriff

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Maybe Toss: Darwin Award
This has potential (for one thing, the bystander wasn't hurt). If he USED the pruning shears to cut the wire that killed him, I'd consider a DA. If a loose wire caught him BEFORE that happened, I'd have to zap it as just another car accident. The details are sketchy, so I will hold out for a more detailed report. Thanks, David!

Greg said:
Maybe Toss: Too Common

Jorge said:
Definitely Keep: Darwin Award
Pruning shears???

Fitzroy said:
Neutral: Honorable Mention
My gut says this one would fit in with the Honorable Mentions. The actual death sounds like more of a random mishap, but that mishap pre-empted an imminent DA-style self-annihilation. It just has such a strong "almost" quality. More information would be helpful.

Jack said:
Maybe Toss: Other
Considering that "The pole and nearby tree caught fire", I suggest that he might have paniced and didn't consider the dangers of cutting a live power wire with a pair of shears. That (IMO) would put this into the catagory of a tragic accident rather than a DA (or even HM).

The Darwin Awards Gift Shop

The Darwin Awards Condom Keep yourself out of the gene pool! A condom in a matchbook, useful for emergency contraception, bachelor parties, frat parties, and important rites of passage. LOADED inside and out with funny quotes and stories. Everyone loves this item! Friends don't let friends reproduce! $13 for Pack of 4