BELLEVILLE, Ill., Jan. 1 (UPI) -- An Illinois man was found dead in a junkyard after a vehicle fell on him, pinning his body underneath the mid-size car for more than a day.
A St. Clair County Sheriff's Department spokesman said employees of Paule's Towing and Junkyard in Belleville found the body of Gregory Nickens, 47, under a Honda Accord, The Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat reported Monday.
Police Capt. Steve Johnson said Nickens was not authorized to be in the junkyard or underneath a vehicle. His body was found Friday.
"The investigation is still open and we're looking at the totality of the scene to determine what occurred," Johnson told the newspaper.
Authorities said they believe Nickens died from blunt force trauma when the Accord fell on his chest. A vehicle jack might have slipped out from under the mid-size Honda, causing the car to fall on him, they said.
Employees at the junkyard told police they saw Nickens' vehicle parked on their lot Thursday morning but couldn't find him.
