Coroner: Decatur man dead after cutting into live wire while trying to take scrap metal from closed plant

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A Decatur man is dead after he fell from a ladder while trying to take scrap metal from a closed industrial plant, the Macon County Coroner said.

Coroner Michael Day said William J. Wattles, Jr., 47, was pronounced dead Tuesday just before 6 p.m. in the 800 block of North Lowber St. in Decatur.

Day said Wattles came to a closed industrial plant and used a ladder and a saw to try and take copper and other materials to sell for scrap.

Wattles cut into a charged utility line and was killed, Day said.

An autopsy done Thursday at the McLean County Coroner's morgue in Bloomington showed the preliminary cause of death was multiple blunt injuries of the head and chest due to a fall. Wattles also had high voltage electrocution injuries.

Initially, officials were not able to identify Wattles at the scene, Day said. He said research was done using facial recognition technology and using Wattles' tattoos to make a positive identification.