A cassava farmer with the Pheapimex Company died yesterday in Pursat province following a gruesome excavator accident, which saw its operator flee the scene, local authorities said.

Ork Chhean, chief of police in Phnom Kravanh district’s Prongil commune, said the victim, 18-year-old Earch Oy, was killed when an excavator was flattening a small hill for planting on Monday morning.

Unbeknownst to other workers, Oy was sleeping in a hammock at the site in Say village, when the bucket crushed downward into his head and chest.

“The victim received fatal head and chest injuries, and he died immediately at the site,” he said. Oy was from nearby Chanserie village.

The excavator operator, 26-year-old Sem Chanthorn from Sampov Meas town, made a run for it after the accident.

Other workers at the site confirmed that nobody knew Oy was sleeping at the site since the hilly area was surrounded by bushes.

“Witnesses confirmed that when the driver operated the vehicle, he was using the excavator to clear the bushes, and he unintentionally hit the sleeping victim,” Chhean said.

“Moments later, the victim passed away and the offender escaped.”

He added that while the victim’s family was preparing the funeral, a company representative brought rice and money and tried to negotiate a compensation package.

Authorities are still on the lookout for the driver.