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Craig — A day after reportedly falling off his skateboard, resident Shane Braselton, 20, was pronounced dead Wednesday in Grand Junction, Moffat County Coroner Owen Grant said.

The cause of death is unknown.

Samantha Johnston, The Memorial Hospital service excellence officer, said Braselton was treated in TMH's emergency room Tuesday before nightfall and then released.

Later that night, he was brought back to the emergency room and transported to a different hospital.

Johnston said she could not give details about his injuries or where he was taken because of patient privacy laws.

Braselton was a 2007 Moffat County High School graduate and a member of the high school cross-country team.

Craig resident Jim Diehl knew Braselton for more than a year, first as Braselton's boss at Carelli's, the restaurant Diehl owns, and then as a friend.

Diehl said he was surprised when he learned that Braselton had died.

Braselton had called work Tuesday night, after being released from TMH, and said he would be out for a while because doctors thought he had a broken collarbone.

Diehl said he didn't know what happened after that.

He described Braselton as a person who was passionate about skateboarding and music, and always willing to work through problems without becoming angry or blaming others.

"We skated" together, Diehl said. "We skated all the time at the half-pipe at my house. He was big into music, too."

He added he never had to worry about Braselton losing his composure with others. It was one quality that struck him as a sign of someone beyond his years.

"He never got heated, he always kept his cool and got everyone else around him to keep their cool, too," Diehl said. "He always let everyone else say their piece before him. He was definitely ahead of his age, mentally."

Braselton will be missed by everyone who got to know him, he added.

"He made real close friends with everyone in here," Diehl said.

"It was more than just working together."

Memorial services are pending.

Hans Hallgren can be reached at 875-1792 or hhallgren@craigdailypress.com.

Collin Smith can be reached at 875-1794 or cesmith@craigdailypress.com.