A Jefferson County man is dead after overturning a truck early Saturday morning in Belmont County on County Road 64, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Troopers said the fatal crash happened when Alvin S. Dowell, 62, of Rayland, was driving a coal truck westbound toward State Route 9 about 6:30 a.m., and he came out of a curve and rolled over.

"When troopers got to the scene he was unresponsive and they started CPR. Then the squad got there and continued CPR. They thought they'd lost him at the scene, but
Cumberland Trail transported him to the hospital," said Sgt. Don Britton, of OSHP in St. Clairsville. "I think at the hospital they were able to revive him for a short time, but unfortunately, he passed away."

Crews cleaned up the area well, but coal slipped over the road way, obstructing traffic. So troopers closed one lane and directed traffic about five hours until the area was clear.

Authorities are looking into what caused him to go off the road.

"At this time the preliminary thought is that he had a heart attack before the crash. That will have to be confirmed, and I don't know what the coroner is going to rule over there," said Britton. "I really haven't talked to hospital personnel directly, but that's the information we're getting at this time."

Troopers said the man didn't hit anything when the truck rolled over the side of the road.

"When I talked to squad members, they didn't see any visible signs of trauma that would indicate anything like that. But, of course, you can have internal injuries and it not be visible.”

The victim worked for Goff Trucking, and troopers are waiting for a ruling from the county coroner's office.

This is the second fatal crash in Belmont County in 2013.