Brainerd man accused of killing co-worker with hydraulic grapple on job in Apple Valley
Investigators say Christopher Boone Crimmins was watching shadows instead of the grapple, and the 26-year-old victim died after being struck in the head.
- On Thursday, Aug 20, 2026, in Apple Valley, Minnesota, 34-year-old Brainerd man Christopher Boone Crimmins was charged with felony second-degree manslaughter after allegedly killing his 26-year-old coworker, Tyler Anthony Lynch, with a hydraulic grapple during a tree-trimming job.
- Crimmins told officers he and Lynch were "f---ing around" on Thursday afternoon, maneuvering the hydraulic grapple to make its shadow appear to grab Lynch's head while Crimmins focused on the ground rather than the machine itself.
- Unbeknownst to Crimmins, the grapple moved over Lynch's head and crushed him. Officers discovered Lynch with "a large amount of blood around his body and a significant injury to his head" and declared him dead at the scene.
- The Dakota County District Court set bail at $40,000 without conditions or $20,000 with conditions including restrictions on operating heavy equipment requiring a commercial driver's license. If convicted, Crimmins faces up to 10 years in prison.
- As of Tuesday, Crimmins was not listed in the Dakota County Jail. His omnibus hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10 in Dakota County District Court to address the second-degree manslaughter charges.
20 Articles
20 Articles
MN Tree Trimmer Charged After Fatal Shadow Play Accident
A 34-year-old Minnesota tree-trimming worker faces a felony manslaughter charge after prosecutors say he crushed his 26-year-old coworker's head with a hydraulic grapple while the two were horsing around with shadows on the job. Christopher Boone Crimmins was operating a boom, a heavy mechanical arm mounted on a truck, on a tree-trimming job in Apple Valley, Minnesota, on August 20 when he began maneuvering the grapple so its shadow on the stree…
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Brainerd man accused of killing co-worker with hydraulic grapple on job in Apple Valley
Christopher Crimmins allegedly crushed Tyler Lynch's head with a grapple while the two were messing around while working for a tree trimming service in Apple Valley.
Two Minnesota men engage in a prank they thought was harmless. Now one of them faces murder charges after his co-worker’s head was crushed
A prank between two co-workers ended in tragedy after one of the men lost his life. The two Minnesota men were allegedly messing around during a tree trimming job, but what initially started as a lighthearted but dangerous prank, quickly turned deadly. Christopher Boone Crimmins, 34, has since been arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter after he allegedly caused the death of co-worker Tyler Anthony Lynch, 26, reports NBC News. Acco…
The defendant manipulated a hydraulic claw while playing with the shadows along with his partner, but ended up crushing the worker's head
Minnesota Man Accused of Fatally Crushing Co-Worker’s Head With Hydraulic Grapple During Alleged Workplace “Joke”
A man is facing criminal charges after authorities say a workplace prank involving a hydraulic grapple ended in the death of his co-worker. According to NBC News, 34-year-old Christopher Boone Crimmins has been charged with second-degree manslaughter following the death of 26-year-old Tyler Anthony Lynch. Investigators said the two men were working on a tree trimming job in Apple Valley on Thursday afternoon when the incident occurred. Investiga…
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