22-year-old trapped in machine died at food-processing plant

MOORESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) – A man died in an accident at a food processing plant in Mooresville on Tuesday morning.

Sean Merrell, 22, of Mooresville, was identified as the victim in an autopsy, Morgan County Coroner Annette Butcher said Friday night.

According to the Mooresville Police Department, crews responded to an industrial accident with major injuries about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday at the PacMoore Process Technologies plant. That’s at State Road 67 and Old State Road 67 North.

The coroner said Merrell died of blunt force trauma to his head, chest and abdomen after getting trapped in a machine he was cleaning. The machine began re-energizing before Merrell exited it, the coroner said.

Butcher called the accident “tragic” and offered prayers to his family and the PacMoore employees.

Butcher said she delayed the identification of Merrell to give the family and business “more time.”