Dunn County oil field worker's death a mystery

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The cause of death for a 21-year-old new father and husband-to-be found unconscious at a Dunn County oil site remains undetermined, authorities said Tuesday.

Dustin Bergsing of Edgar, Mont., was discovered by a co-worker at a Marathon Oil Corp. well site early Saturday morning, Dunn County Sheriff Don Rockvoy said.

“He was found motionless,” Rockvoy said. “He wasn’t in a vehicle or a camper, he was outside.”

Rockvoy wasn’t aware of any visible injuries, but was not at the site.

“There’s really nothing else we know,” Rockvoy said. “That’s why we do an autopsy to determine time of death and cause of death.”

Bergsing graduated in 2008 from Park High School in Livingston, Mont., which is where he grew up, said his friend, Breanna Pryor.

“He had a huge heart and he was always willing to go out of his way to help other people,” she said.

Bergsing had been residing at the site near Mandaree where he was found, Rockvoy said.

“He was staying on location and that’s where his job was,” Rockvoy said.

Bergsing’s daughter, McKinley, was born a few months ago and he recently became engaged to McKinley’s mother, Lacey Breding, said Gary Hillman, a friend.

“I have never seen him as happy as he was with Lacey,” Pryor said.

Bergsing was proud of McKinley, Pryor said, adding he had a “glow in his face when he was at my house showing me his daughter.”

Bergsing’s dog, Tuff, also held a special place in his heart, Hillman said.

He described Bergsing as caring.

“He wouldn’t think twice about taking the shirt off his back to help anybody,” Hillman said.

He and Pryor, who both reside in Livingston, Mont., agree Bergsing’s sense of humor made him stand out.

“He was always the class clown,” Pryor said. “He was always doing goofy things and making everyone laugh.”

An investigator for Bergsing’s family from the Bremseth Law Firm said they hope to learn more about how Bergsing died Wednesday or Thursday.

Lee Warren, spokesperson for Marathon Oil Corp., said Bergsing was not a Marathon employee.

“He does work for another employer, but I’m not able to release any of those details,” Warren said.

There did not appear to be an incident at the Marathon location, she said.

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance officer was on-site Tuesday, said Tom Deutscher, area director of the Bismarck OSHA office said.

He could not release further information about Bergsing.

“Anything I say would really be speculative at best,” Deutscher said. “There’s so much that can go wrong out there.”

Tags: marathon oil, dustin bergsing, dunn county, oil, news, death