By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES - A former Niles High School graduate and U.S. Marine died Tuesday in an industrial accident in Edwardsburg.
A Cass County Sheriff's Department press release stated Cprl. Ayron Christopher Kull, 23, of Niles, died at 3:53 p.m. on the job at Aggregate Associates on U.S. 12 in Milton Township. Aggregate Associates operates a gravel pit and mining operation at the location.
The release stated Kull was working in the gravel pit and had been pulled into a machine that is used to convey material from one side of the gravel pit to the other. Kull was freed from the machine by employees that were working at the time of the accident. However, Kull was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kull's obituary states he entered the service directly out of high school and served in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Fox Company stationed in Camp Pendleton, Calif. from 2001 to 2005. Kull served two tours of Iraq during that time.
Kull's friends from around the country have already started making plans to fly to Michigan, said Adam Fisel, who met Kull in the Marines. Fisel said he served with Kull during both tours. He described Kull as laid back and willing to do anything to help out.
Fisel said fellow Marines from California, Florida and Illinois were on their way to Michigan on Wednesday for Kull's funeral.