MOULTRIE — A worker was found dead, mangled in machinery, at Southern Wood Components early Wednesday morning.

Sammie Trey Roberts, a Barwick resident, was found dead around 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 8. According to Colquitt County Sheriff’s Investigator Ronald Jordan, the accident occurred as he tried fixing a conveyor belt.

“[While] he was working a chain had come off of a conveyor system, and it appeared that he attempted to put the chain back on without turning off the system,” Jordan said.

He said it appeared that his clothes got caught in the system because of that, leading to his death.

Verlyn Brock, Colquitt County coroner, said an autopsy is done, but a toxicology report is pending. Brock said he knows it’ll come back as an accident, but with a work-related death a toxicology report is procedure because determines if an outside substance was in the victim’s system during the incident. It could take up to 90 days before the results return.

The Moultrie Observer attempted to reach out to Southern Wood Components, located at 501 Industrial Dr., on Jan. 9 but was told at that time they weren’t comfortable speaking about the incident. The company has since released a verbal statement on the matter.

“Out of respect for the family, we just don’t have any comments at this time,” it said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be conducting its own investigation into the incident. This isn’t signification of fault on behalf of the company but rather standard procedure, Jordan said.

“Anytime there’s a death in the workplace, OSHA gets involved,” he said.