On Wednesday evening, July 16, 2025, 18-year-old Brandon Q. Gmelin of Ridgefield, Connecticut, tragically lost his life in South Salem, Westchester County, following an accident involving a log splitter. The incident occurred at a private residence where the equipment had been delivered earlier that day for scheduled landscaping work.
According to the New York State Police, Gmelin was attempting to move the log splitter around 6:30 p.m. when the heavy machine began to roll down a sloped area of the property. The equipment struck Gmelin, causing fatal injuries. Troopers from the Somers barracks, along with investigators from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and officers from the Town of Lewisboro Police Department, responded to a 911 call reporting an unresponsive individual. Despite the efforts of first responders to perform life-saving measures, Gmelin was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Brandon Gmelin was a recent graduate of Ridgefield High School, Class of 2025, and a cherished member of the school community. He was a standout athlete on the Ridgefield lacrosse team and was set to continue his lacrosse career at Dickinson College. Ridgefield Superintendent of Schools Susie Da Silva expressed the community’s grief, stating, “His warmth, kindness, and unwavering friendship touched the lives of many, and his loss will be felt deeply across RHS and the greater Ridgefield community.”
The investigation into the accident is ongoing, but authorities have stated that no signs of foul play are suspected. The tragic event has left the Ridgefield and South Salem communities mourning the loss of a young life full of promise.