News Crime & Public Safety Apple Valley: Tree trimmer killed co-worker while playing with shadows, charges say The tree trimmer told authorities he and his co-worker were playing around when the injury occurred Share this: Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share on X (Opens in new window) X Print (Opens in new window) Print Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window) Submit to Stumbleupon By Kristi Miller | kmiller@pioneerpress.com | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: August 21, 2026 at 5:24 PM CDT | UPDATED: August 23, 2026 at 11:24 PM CDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... A Brainerd man was charged with second-degree manslaughter Thursday after authorities said he crushed his co-worker’s head while playing around with the hydraulic grapple he was using to trim trees in Apple Valley. Christopher Boone Crimmins (Courtesy of the Dakota County Sheriff's Office) Christopher Boone Crimmins, 34, was charged Friday with one count of second-degree manslaughter, according to Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena. About 7 p.m. Thursday, Apple Valley police were called to the scene and found Tyler Anthony Lynch, 26, of Royalton, with a significant head injury. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The criminal complaint said the two tree trimmers were working in Apple Valley when the incident occurred. Crimmins told investigators he was on top of the boom operating it from his seat while Lynch was on the ground below cleaning up branches. The two were fooling around when Crimmins saw that the sunlight was casting shadows of both the grapple and his co-worker onto the street, the complaint said. While looking at the shadows, Crimmins said, he moved the grapple so it would appear as if its shadow was grabbing Lynch’s shadow. While he was doing so, he was not looking at Lynch or the grapple and didn’t realize the grapple was actually moving toward Lynch’s head. He closed the grapple on Lynch’s head, according to the complaint, which said a witness saw the injury occur. “My deepest condolences to Mr. Lynch’s family members and friends, and all those affected by his death,” Keena said. On Friday afternoon, Crimmins was in custody at the Dakota County Jail being held on $40,000 bail. His next court appearance is at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 10 in Hastings. 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