Posted on 08/04/2006 8:13:27 AM PDT by sportutegrl
The Delco coroner said the death was not heat-related. The man had heart disease.
A 59-year-old man stacking concrete blocks in this week's torrid heat to fulfill a community service requirement died of a heart attack, Delaware County officials said.
David Marvel of Essington was pronounced dead at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital Tuesday after collapsing at a construction site at the Delaware County Emergency Training Center in Darby Township.
Medical examiner Fredric Hellman said heat was not a factor in the death because Marvel's body temperature was not elevated.
An autopsy yesterday indicated the cause of death was a heart attack brought on by arterial disease, Marvel's history of high blood pressure, and physical exertion, Hellman said.
Another man in the alternative sentencing program disagreed. "It was heat-related" said Aaron Keenen, who was working alongside Marvel. "I am 100 percent sure of that."
Keenen, 20, said he was alarmed by Marvel's appearance and urged him to drink water and rest. "He fell over and smacked his head on a piece of wood," he said. "We were dumping water on our shirts and putting them on him."
Marvel was in a program that allows participants to avoid trial and sentencing for first-time offenses, his attorney, Eugene A. Bonner, said.
"He was a law-abiding citizen all of his life," Bonner said. "He made a mistake. It's upsetting. It shouldn't be something where people are put at risk."
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
...downhill, fast.
Little did he know he was getting a death sentence.
I have had a weak heart since birth and have been told by my cardiologist not to get to hot and to stay in the air conditioning. If you have a heart condition, heat aggravates it and stresses the heart and you can bring on a heart attack. Heat and physical exertion caused this.
Public drinking should be a fine, not community service. My guess is that there is some racial tension involved in this story, something is missing. I'm guessing that the officers and justice of the peace are black and the man white, but I could be way off base. There has just got to be more to this.
I figured this had to be Pennsylvania. A state where you can't drink a beer in a state park. What a frigging joke. I will never camp in another Pennsylvania state park again after being harrassed by an armed ranger. I guess I got lucky, he made me pour it out.
I smell a lawsuit.
Sadly, I would be lying if I said that this scenario hadn't crossed my mind. Again, like you, I could be way off base.
Sorry bout that, Yep, me too, though not from birth. That kind of heat is dangerous to anyone with cardiovascular and/or pulmonary problems... combine that with heavy physical exertion and your in big trouble fast.. This makes me sick and to think it was all because the guy had a beer..
I hope so. Unfortunately, with the coroner stating that the man died from a pre-existing heart condition (yeah, right) that's already one strike against his family.
Now that's an understatement!
That's quite a leap to take there. That sounds like something Al Sharpton would say, only in reverse.
Community service for drinking a beer while fishing is way too harsh. But, that's only what he told another guy he did. The article doesn't say what is actually on his record.
Not to mention they covered him in wet shirts - that's gonna lower his body temperature too (which is exactly the point of it).
Freedom Lite. Tastes like liberty, but with zero tolerance.
It disturbes me that this story is not getting more play. I would like to see it on Drudge or something. It's enough to make you go libertarian.
It is quite a leap but after reading about the young man who was arrested for asking a police officer for directions I couldn't prevent the thought from crossing my mind.
It is really a moot point as we'll probably never learn anything about the arresting officers.
The 'pre-existing heart condition' excuse sure works for Disney.
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