JEFFERSON — A 48-year-old man from Jefferson is dead after a large pine tree fell onto the cab of his excavator.

Lt. Michael Murphy of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department said today that Peter Peaslee was killed last Thursday while he was clearing land owned by Michael Cassella. Cassella’s property is located near the intersection of Route 17 and Travelers Pond Road in Jefferson.

Murphy said Peaslee is a self-employed contractor who was working alone when a pine tree he was attempting to knock down fell back onto the excavator cab. He died at the scene.