An 11-year-old Rostraver
Twp. youth was electrocuted
Monday;July 19;1976; when he came in
contact with a high tension
wire while climbing an
evergreen tree on an uncle’s
property; adjoining his own
residence.
Rostraver Twp. Police Chief
Carl A. Jones said Keith
Roger Soltis of Belle Vernon
R. D. 1 was with a brother;
Shawn; 15; and two other
companions; Mark
Stangroom; 12; and Raymond
Mathews; 15; and all four had
climbed a giant evergreen
tree on the property of the
victim’s uncle; Albert Forgas;
Lenity Road; early Monday
afternoon.
According to Jones; the
other three boys had climbed
down and Keith apparently
went to the very top.
The boys told police they
heard what sounded like a
group of locusts which
Jones said was apparently the
power line in the trees after
Keith’s right leg had touched
the wire.
Westmoreland County
Coroner Stephen D. Yoney
said the accident occurred at 1:45 p.m.and the victim was pronounced dead on arrival at Charleroi Division of Mon Valley Hospital at 2:14 p.m. Yoney said death was due to electrocution and Keith was burned below the right knee and on the right ankle. According to Yoney;the branch the boy was on gave way to his weight and his foot came in contact with the high tension wire. Yoney said the branch did not break. Jones reported that after the three boys were back on the ground and heard the sound like Locusts they called out to Keith and when he didn’t respond;Shawn and Mark climbed back up into the tree and found Keith laying on a top branch with his face down. They ran home to get help;Jones said;and a brother-in-law;David Caldwell;quickly climbed up into the tree and by the time Rostraver police arrived;was on his way down carrying the victim. Police assisted him for the remaining 10 or 12 feet to the ground. Jones said firemen from Rostraver Central;Webster;Fellsburg;North Belle Vernon and Belle Vernon departments arrived at the scene also. Keith was born in North Charleroi on Jan.10;1965;son of Andrew and Lorraine Ritchie Soltis. He had completed the sixth grade and was graduated to the seventh grade in the Belle Vernon Area School District. He was a member of the Fellsburg Little League baseball team and St.Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church;Monessen. Surviving;in addition to his parents and his brother;Shawn;is another brother;Kevin;also at home;two sisters;Mrs.David (Lorryli) Caldwell of Belle Vernon R.D.1 and Mrs.Wayne (Denise) Hite of Belle Vernon;his paternal grandmother;Mrs.Mary Soltis of Monessen and his maternal grandmother;Mrs.Mary Ritchie of Donora. Friends will be received at the Ed Melenyzer Funeral Home;262 Donner Ave.;Monessen;from 7 to 9 P.M. Tuesday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. Wednesday. Services will be held Thursday at 11 A.M.at the funeral home with Pastor James M. Robbins of the Christ Lutheran Church;Charleroi;officiating. Interment will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. Ed Melenyzer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.