By Barry Porterfield
A strange and unlikely weekend accident claimed the life of a Pauls Valley resident as he was checking on some cows near the Garvin and McClain county line.
Authorities said Monday that John Ensey, 60, died from injuries sustained after he was partially trapped under his truck for several hours.
Among the many people and agencies involved in a search to find Ensey was Garvin County Sheriff Steve Brooks. Brooks said it took the work of several individuals to find Ensey, who was injured while in the middle of some very thick brush.
The incident began Friday morning when Ensey drove to check on some of his cows located on property he leased that spilled into neighboring McClain County.
“He was out checking his cows, which is not uncommon,” Brooks said.
When Ensey didn’t return or answer phone calls, his family became concerned and contacted authorities that night.
As part of efforts to backtrack Ensey’s believed movements, county deputies contacted the missing man’s cell phone provider, which Brooks said did a “ping” allowing for a triangulation of the phone’s location.
Even though that effort narrowed down Ensey’s possible location within 100 yards, Brooks said the search was slowed way down by the thick brush and growth on the property.
“We found open areas surrounded by brush and thickets,” Brooks said, adding “we looked for a good three, three and a half, hours.”
At one point in the early morning hours Saturday, a plea for help could be heard as Ensey was found partially pinned underneath his vehicle.
“It was extremely thick. I was only a few feet away from him and still couldn’t get to him. That’s how thick it was,” the sheriff said.
According to the sheriff, Ensey’s truck high centered and got stuck. With the engine still running, Ensey was in the bed of the vehicle attempting to free it when the back tires impacted the ground.
“When the rear tires finally caught, it flipped him out of the truck. It then partially landed on him,” Brooks said.
When Ensey was finally found, about 14 to 15 hours later, Brooks said the injured man was able to talk to rescue workers from Purcell and Wayne and his own family members while explaining what had happened.
“The good thing is he got a chance to talk to his family,” he said.
“I’m glad his wife and his son got to be there. It was a blessing they got the chance to spend some time with him and talk to him,” Brooks said.
Ensey was later taken to Norman Regional Hospital where he died in the early morning hours Sunday.
Services for Ensey are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pauls Valley High School auditorium.
