Ind. logger dies after falling into river

LOOGOOTEE, Ind. -- Authorities say a southern Indiana logger was killed when a machine he was operating fell into a river and he was trapped inside.

The Dubois County coroner says 37-year-old Donald Venters of Loogootee died Tuesday night at Memorial Hospital in Jasper, about five hours after he was pulled from the water.

Coroner Tony Matthews says Venters was working with his father in southern Martin County when the log skidder he was operating went off an 8-foot ridge and landed on its side in the East Fork of the White River.

Police say his father jumped into the river and tried to free him, but the machine's door latch was broken. Two divers freed Venters after he had been in the water about 40 minutes.