Two men died in separate freak accidents that occurred last week in Monroe County.

James “Jay” Maag, 49, of Waterloo, was pronounced dead at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis from injuries sustained after a vehicle he was working under fell on top of him late last Tuesday afternoon near his home in the 600 block of South Market Street.

Funeral services took place Friday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo.

Among his surviving relatives are wife, Wendy, and children Leah and John.

An official with knowledge of the incident said Maag’s wife apparently found him, and she got the attention of two men from Auto Masters at nearby 613 S. Market, who came running and saw the truck tilted over on him.

They brought over a jack from their garage and pulled Maag out from underneath the vehicle. James’ wife, who is a nurse, administered CPR until EMS arrived.

The second incident resulting in death involved a 44-year-old man from Southern Missouri who died last Wednesday afternoon during a tree clearing accident in the woods near the Brellinger subdivision in Columbia, Monroe County Coroner Vicki Koerber said.

Joseph Macke of Oak Ridge, Mo., died from blunt force trauma while working to clear trees for a new addition to the subdivision.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called in to investigate the incident, Koerber said.

You can also see this article featured in this week’s paper. You can pick up a copy of the June 26 paper — on stands Wednesday. Or subscribe online today!