Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office finds no foul play in death at Hamm Quarry

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has determined that no criminal acts were committed when a 52-year-old Topeka man died at Hamm Quarry Saturday morning.

Sheriff Jeff Herrig said the sheriff’s office was finished with its investigation and would leave the rest to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, which investigates all mine-related fatalities.

In a preliminary report released this week, the federal agency noted that William Oaks was cleaning hardened material on a tail pulley of a conveyor belt when the conveyor belt started up.

He was entangled in the tail pulley and died on scene from extensive internal injuries.

According to the report, Oaks was a haul truck driver who had worked for the company for more than five years.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration’s final report should be released in a few weeks to a couple of months.