27-year-old Gabe Koenigsfeld died Tuesday after an embankment collapsed at a construction site in Dakota Dunes.
Story Created:
Nov 18, 2009 at 9:43 PM CST
Story Updated:
Nov 18, 2009 at 10:46 PM CST
Action News has learned the "Occupational Safety and Health Administration" will investigate the death of Gabe Koenigsfeld.
He died Tuesday in an embankment collapse at a construction site in Dakota Dunes in Union County.
His former football coach at South Dakota State says Koenigsfeld's death is painful to the Jackrabbit family.
OSHA has confirmed for Action News that an investigation into how a reinforced embankment collapsed, killing 27-year-old Gabe Koenigsfeld, is in it's early stages.
Koenigsfeld played defensive end...number 91... from 2002 through 2005 for the South Dakota State football team.
Jackrabbits coach John Stiegelemeier. "Gabe was a special guy. He touched a lot of people. His memory will touch a lot of people."
Koenigsfeld married another former s-d-s-u athlete, basketball player stephanie bolden.
the two were expecting their first child in april.
gabe's death comes just weeks after his mother was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
gabe's brother nate spoke to us this afternoon. "it's a very hard time. not too often do families go through that."
Late Wednesday night, we learned Gabe was a part-time bartender at Sioux Falls' "Champps" sports bar.
Manager Liz Weiss told us; "He was just awesome. he was kindhearted, just a fantastic worker, there isn't a bad thing I can say about him".
John Stiegelmeier feels the same way. "Always a smile on his face. When I think of Gabe I think about that big smile..."
Gabe Koenigsfeld's funeral will be held this Saturday at 1:30 at the Immacultae Conception Church in his hometown of Charles City, Iowa.
2009 KSFY Action News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
User Agreement