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. According to a criminal complaint filed last Friday in Dakota County, Crimmins told police that he and Lynch had been “f—ing around” on Thursday afternoon while working together in Apple Valley.

The men reportedly noticed they could move the truck-mounted hydraulic grapple so that the machine’s shadow on the ground appeared to grab the shadow of Lynch’s head. However, Crimmins was allegedly too focused on the shadows rather than Lynch and the grapple itself. Unbeknownst to him, he had actually moved the grapple over the 26-year-old’s head and allegedly didn’t notice until it had crushed him for real.

An innocent prank turned deadly

While the prank may have been innocent enough in nature, it was also dangerous, and the aftermath proves why it’s important to always respect heavy machinery. The grapple, which was used to grab and clear branches, required a commercial license to even be able to operate it. Crimmins was the only worker with the proper qualifications.

According to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, police discovered Tyler Anthony Lynch lying on the ground “with a large amount of blood around his body and a significant injury to his head.” He was later pronounced dead, according to the New York Post. A witness also described seeing the grapple hit, or pinch, Lynch’s head.

The 26-year-old frequently posted pictures of himself working tree-trimming jobs along with inspirational quotes in the captions. His most recent post, which featured pictures of a lumber haul, contained messages from friends, family, and strangers all sharing their condolences. “Idk u but rest n peace sorry that happened to u,” one comment reads. “And u seemed like a hard worker too….prayers for your family and friends.”

Crimmins currently faces a second-degree manslaughter charge, and his bail has been set at $40,000 unconditional or $20,000 with conditions. If convicted, the 34-year-old could face up to ten years behind bars. As of Sunday, Crimmins was reportedly not listed in the Dakota County Jail records. It’s also not currently clear whether he has an attorney.

Christopher Boone Crimmins’ next court appearance is expected to be on September 10.