TREVORTON - A Shamokin man has been identified as the victim whose body was found in an off-road area near Zerbe Township Friday evening.
Northumberland County Coroner James F. Kelley said Thomas F. Kruskie III, 25, was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:55 p.m. Friday.
Three young males on ATV's found Kruskie's body at the bottom of a remote and extremely rocky road with a 70-degree incline two miles from Gap Road in Zerbe Township at approximately 5:30 p.m., following a day-long search by authorities.
Kruskie was identified by his mother at Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital at approximately 9:50 p.m. Kelley said the manner of death was accidental, with the cause being blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
Police said Kruskie was last seen riding with friends at approximately 5:30 p.m. Thursday, but another friend, Kevin Eltringham, disputed that theory.
"At 5:30 p.m., we were out here, about 100 people before it was said and done, looking for Tom," Eltringham said Saturday. "We first found the seat cover, then another part, and the police might have found some other parts when they were searching."
Once word got out about Kruskie being missing, many of his friends, who had ridden the coal lands with him on several occasions, came out Thursday in the rain to look for him.
"We had people walking around with flashlights and ATV riders with spotlights, looking for any sign of him," Eltringham said.
The effort was heartfelt for them, Eltringham said, because they knew Kruskie would have done the same for them.
"He was a good guy. He loved his kids and his girlfriend and would be willing to help anyone who needed it. Two days ago, I asked him to help me move, and he didn't even hesitate. He just said 'I'll be there and I'll try to get some other guys to help, too,'" Eltringham said.
He said being out in the woods was something that Kruskie enjoyed, like it was part of his nature.
"He was just this happy-go-lucky guy and such a free spirit," Eltringham said. "Like the rest of us, he was proud of where he came from, a Shamokinite and a 'Ho-Butt,' riding ATVs, shooting guns and just being outdoors."