Oct. 7—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A Johnstown man died on Thursday of injuries he suffered when he fell into Cherry Run in the city's Eighth Ward a day earlier, Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees said.

Howard G. Moench, 85, sustained acute head and neck trauma after he lost his footing, toppled over a temporary mesh fence at the edge of his yard near the corner of Akers Street and Otto Court, fell down a steep embankment and struck the concrete stream channel almost nine feet below, the coroner said.

Moench's apartment's property borders a section of Cherry Run that is lined by deteriorating concrete flood walls.

Firefighters used a stretcher-style Stokes basket and a ladder to lift Moench from the concrete stream channel, Johnstown fire Chief Bob Statler said. Moench was transported to nearby Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, but was pronounced dead at 4:45 a.m., Lees said.

His family described the accident as tragic and unnecessary.

Carrie "C.J." Moench said her husband of 38 years was a New York native who worked as an auto accident appraiser before he retired years ago. He moved to Johnstown in 2015 to be closer to his children and for cheaper health insurance costs, she said.

She described him as an outgoing, friendly man who loved to start up conversations with anyone he met.

She said she wasn't certain why he went outside on Wednesday afternoon and was walking near the stream wall, which is just a few inches from their rental unit's private walkway in some spots. But despite his mobility issues, he stayed active and sometimes picked up trash that ended up in their yard, she said.

Howard Moench's sister, Janice Sutherland, said she had just pulled into a lot behind their home when she saw Moench waving to her. Then he turned away and, in an instant, he lost his footing and went "head-first" toward the river wall, she said.

Kevin Houston, a neighbor and friend of the family, said he ran over to help after hearing their screams. When he arrived, he said, he saw Moench lying facedown in the water with an open head wound.

"I went right down (to help) ... and put pressure on it," he said, saying he used a sweatshirt to stop the bleeding.

Houston said he lifted Moench's upper body and leaned him against his own body to keep his head out of the water. He talked to Moench as first responders arrived.

"I told him, 'Don't worry. I've got you,' " he added. "I thought he'd be (OK)."

He said he was shocked and disheartened to learn that Moench died early Thursday.

Carrie Moench was frustrated and angry.

"This was a needless death," she said. "If there was a fence there, he wouldn't be dead right now."

On Thursday, a new plastic barrier that had apparently been put up after the accident lined the corridor. It was approximately four feet tall and staked in place by steel rods.

Howard Moench's family said that similar temporary safety fencing had been installed at some point years earlier, but deteriorated over time.

Questions over liability for the flood channel — and safety concerns — have been debated for years in several neighborhoods among various private property owners, the city and several entities that have built or repaired sections of the channel's walls.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials told The Tribune-Democrat in 2021 that there is no record of some flood-control projects along some parts of Cherry Run, including a section of the stream channel near Bishop McCort Catholic High School that was repaired with state approval this summer.

It was not immediately clear Thursday who is responsible for maintaining the section of wall bordering Moench's home.

City Manager Ethan Imhoff was not reached for comment on the incident. A message with his office was not returned.

As coroner, Lees noted that his investigation does not delve into who was liable for the property in question, but "this tragic incident could have been prevented," he added.

"If that wall was made of something more secure ... like concrete, this probably would have had a much different outcome," Lees said.

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