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By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
COLFAX TOWNSHIP — A 40-year-old Walkerville woman died when the lawn tractor she was operating rolled on top of her Tuesday evening, Aug. 25, in the 7800 block of North Tall Timber Trail near School Section Lake, said Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast.
The woman’s 42-year-old husband returned home and made the horrifying discovery of his wife trapped underneath the John Deere garden tractor. “He looked toward the south of his residence and found the lawnmower on top of his wife,” said Sheriff Mast.
“The husband was unable to get the lawnmower off her, so he ran inside to get his son to help. They were able to get the lawnmower off of her.” They yelled for the neighbors to help; began resuscitation efforts; and called 911.
Emergency crews were called to the scene at 7:54 p.m.
“When the deputies got there, the lawnmower was on all four wheels. It had a broken hood from being rolled over.
“It looks like she had gotten too close to a brick retaining wall, and the front tire caught the retaining wall and ended up turning it over onto her.”
Life EMS and Walkerville and Hart area fire departments responded. Aeromed was initially called to the scene, but was cancelled.
“It’s a tragedy,” said Sheriff Mast. “Our thoughts are with the family, and it was an absolute freak accident. There is no foul play here, and there is no suspicion of any wrongdoing. It was a very unfortunate accident.”
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