Fremont County Seeing High Number of Deaths

RIVERTON, Wyo. (AP) — Fremont County already has seen a record number of deaths from homicides and motor vehicle accidents in 2011 with nearly a quarter of the year left to go.

The Riverton Ranger reports that Fremont County Coroner Ed McAuslan says the county recorded 15 homicides and vehicular deaths during the first nine months of this year.

McAuslan noted that the figure surpasses the annual records of 14 such deaths set in each 2008 and 2009. The county has kept records since 1885.

McAuslan says substance abuse is a common thread is many deaths.

In addition, McAuslan told county commissioners that the 11 suicides recorded in the first three quarters of 2011 is nearly double the six the experienced in all of 2010.