Star Telegram | 11/28/2003 | Horseplay blamed in worker's death 
            Posted on Fri, Nov. 28, 2003

            Horseplay blamed in worker's death
            By Domingo Ramirez Jr.
            star-telegram staff writer

            Two gas well employees are accused of killing another worker while 
            they were engaging in horseplay with him Tuesday night on a drilling 
            rig, authorities said Thursday.
            The Denton County Sheriff's Department identified one suspect as 
            Louis Goodman, 37, of Ponder. Goodman was arrested Wednesday after 
            being interviewed by investigators, said Kevin Patton, a Denton 
            County Sheriff's Department spokesman.
            Goodman was in the Denton County Jail on Thursday on suspicion of 
            manslaughter. His bail was set at $50,000.
            An arrest warrant has been issued for Teddy Garland of Weatherford. 
            As of late Thursday, he had not been arrested. The warrant also 
            charges Garland with manslaughter, with bail set at $50,000.
            The two are accused of hooking the back of Shawn Davis' work belt to 
            a cable that became entangled in machinery on the drilling rig. 
            Davis, 23, of Sweetwater, died Tuesday night at the rig, located 
            halfway between Denton and Argyle.
            The men worked for Republic Energy Drilling Co. in Denton. Officials 
            with the company could not be reached Thursday night.
            The three men and a fourth employee were working on the rig Tuesday 
            night at the time of the incident, authorities said.
            "Initially, we were told it was an accident," Patton said. "But one 
            of the workers came in the next day and told us that we were not 
            getting the full story."
            The employee told investigators that Davis, who was standing near a 
            small trailer, was yanked up by a cable after it had been placed on 
            his work belt. At some point, Davis became entangled with the cable, 
            chains and machinery, killing him, Patton said.
            Patton said the men apparently picked on Davis "because he was young 
            and had just started working there."
            This report contains material from the Associated Press.