SALEM — Strong winds in the area Saturday reportedly are being blamed for the death of a 54-year-old Salem man when he was struck by a falling tree limb on the Bryan Memorial Park Nature Trail.

The family of Phillip Lusch reportedly became concerned when he failed to answer his cell phone or return home Saturday from riding his bicycle at the Nature Trail Saturday. They found his body around 3:10 p.m.

According to the Marion County Coroner’s Office, Lusch was pronounced dead at the scene. A 10-12 inch limb from the top of a tree apparently was brought down by morning winds and fell approximately 40-feet before striking Lusch on the head, killing him instantly.

Lusch reportedly rode his bike to the nature trail but appeared to have been walking when the limb fell, as his bicycle was found approximately 20-feet away on the trail.