PIERCE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say the Pierce utilities manager has died after touching a live electrical line.

A news release sent Friday by the Pierce County attorney’s office says 59-year-old Dave Hoogestraat (HOO’-geh-strat) was killed Thursday afternoon while helping to replace a damaged utility pole in Pierce.

The release says the investigation so far shows that Hoogestraat apparently touched the line while working in the bucket of a boom truck.

Pierce is a city of about 1,750 people and is the seat of Pierce County in northeast Nebraska.