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Man killed in freak tractor accident near New Castle

Ryan Summerlin rsummerlin@postindependent.com

An Ohio man died Monday afternoon near New Castle in an accident on a slippery driveway, Garfield County authorities said Tuesday.

Sheriff’s Office spokesman Walt Stowe said the incident occurred after a vehicle went into a ditch near Garfield County Road 328. A tractor headed to pull the vehicle out slid into the ditch and trapped the victim, said Stowe.

No tickets were issued in the case, nor is a criminal investigation underway, said Stowe.

Garfield County Coroner Robert Glassmire said Terry Stout, 60, of Akron, Ohio, the man killed, and his brother were traveling to a residence on their ranch via a private, steep, snow-packed driveway.  Their vehicle went off the drive into a ditch.

Glassmire said in a news release that Stout began to walk to the residence along the same private drive while his brother stayed in the vehicle. At the same time, an employee of the ranch was traveling down the drive in the ranch-owned tractor to help the men.

When the two met on the private drive, the ranch employee attempted to stop the tractor and was unsuccessful due to the grade of the driveway and the snowy conditions. Stout was not able to get out of the path of the tractor as it slid and was struck by the tractor.  Stout was dead when emergency workers arrived.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday. Glassmire said Stout’s cause of death is pending the autopsy, but is expected to be consistent with multiple blunt force injuries.  The manner of death being investigated is accident.


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