By Matthew K. Jensen staff writer
The Cache County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the man who died Tuesday while operating a loaded semi truck near Cove. Sheriff’s Lt. Chad Jensen said 81-year-old Daniel Newman of Riverton was the driver of a Peterbilt semi truck that ended up jackknifed near 1631 E. 12600 at about 3 p.m.

Investigators believe Newman died of natural causes while driving the rig, Jensen said. The truck was hauling steel products and was headed for a company in Cove. Newman was the only occupant in the vehicle and no other traffic was affected by the incident.

Jensen said the doors of the vehicle were locked but employees from a local business were able to break a window to get to the driver. The semi was blocking a section of road on 12600 North, and deputies remained on scene Tuesday until the vehicle was recovered.

Sheriff reports show the man’s personal physician signed a death certificate Wednesday, which will eliminate the need for an autopsy performed by a state medical examiner.

Jensen said Tuesday that investigators originally suspected an autopsy would be necessary to determine the exact cause of death. Emergency medical technicians treated Newman at the scene but he never regained consciousness

or a pulse, officials said.

Jensen reported that Newman was transported to Logan Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead by hospital physicians. Newman’s death was reported to his family Tuesday and Wednesday.
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E-mail:mjensen@hjnews.com