Ephrata man dies in home accident

EPHRATA - A 26-year-old Ephrata man died Saturday when the vehicle he was working on rolled off the portable vehicle ramps.

About 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Rick Kapalo was reportedly doing maintenance on his Chevrolet S10 pickup truck at his home in the 600 block of D Street Southwest. While he was underneath the vehicle in his driveway, the truck rolled off the portable vehicle ramps and on top of Kapalo, pinning him underneath the vehicle.

Kapalo's wife called 911 and Ephrata police and AMR responded. A neighbor reportedly assisted with a jack to lift the vehicle off of Kapalo but he died at the scene, according to police reports.

Grant County Coronor Craig Morrison said Kapalo died of traumatic asphyxia from the force of the truck.

- Staff report