Deputy Capt. Dan Caddell of the Bee County Sheriff’s Office said this week that the death of a 56-year-old Corpus Christi man on Saturday appeared to have been accidental.

The victim, identified as Rueben Morales, apparently died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Caddell said Morales was found by the owner of a ranch located about four miles southwest of Pettus, in northern Bee County, at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Morales was leasing a portion of the ranch for deer hunting this year.

Caddell, Sgt. Kevin Behr and Deputies J.D. Aguirre and Cecil Daniels responded to the call after the ranch owner found Morales’ F-250, 4x4 pickup stuck in the mud at a pipeline right of way on the property.

Caddell said it was obvious that the victim’s truck had gotten stuck and he was trying to get the vehicle out of the mud. He said the rancher reported that about four inches of rain had fallen in that area recently.

In fact, the rancher was checking a rain gauge when he found the truck.

Inside, deputies found the victim and a .243-caliber hunting rifle in the cab next to him.

“We don’t expect any foul play,” Caddell said. Apparently the rifle went off while Morales was trying to get the pickup out of the mud and the bullet struck him in the head.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by County Judge David Silva.

Morales’ body was sent to Corpus Christi for an autopsy to be conducted by Nueces County Medical Examiner Ray Fernandez.

Caddell traveled to that city Tuesday afternoon to confer with Fernandez about his findings.

The investigator said members of the Pettus Volunteer Fire Department should be commended for their assistance at the scene in getting the victim and his truck off the property.

“They went above and beyond,” Caddell said of Assistant Fire Chief Clifford Bagwell and his firemen.