North Dakota bar owner dies in bizarre accident while resetting the pins in his bowling alley

• Scott Willoughby, 59, was crushed by the pinsetter on Saturday night

The owner of a bar in North Dakota died in a bizarre accident over the weekend while resetting the pins in his bowling alley.

Scott Willoughby, 59, the owner of the Esmond Bar, was restoring the two-lane bowling alley he had attached to the pub on Saturday night when he was run over by the pinsetter, according to officials, KVLY reports.

According to the Benson County Sheriff’s Office, he was alone at the time and was found dead Sunday morning.

The Esmond Bar later confirmed the owner’s unexpected death in a Facebook post and announced that it would remain closed until further notice.

“It is with a heavy heart that we report that owner Scott has passed away,” the post said.

“Please think of his family and pray for them during this very difficult time.”

One person who commented on the post expressed their condolences and said that during their recent visit to the bar, Willoughby talked about the renovations he was doing to the bowling alley.

“We had the most wonderful visit when I was there a few weeks ago,” wrote Stacey Kurtyka Atkinson.

“He showed us the remodel of the bowling alley. He was so proud of it,” she continued, adding, “I can still hear him laughing and joking!”

Another Facebook user wrote that he had worked with Willoughby on a promotional video for the bowling alley just a few days earlier.

“This makes me very sad,” wrote Kevin Eilenberg. “It makes me all the more grateful that we happened to get here.”

According to an obituary published online, the popular bar owner’s funeral is planned for Friday.