Man killed in tractor accident in Stanislaus County orchard
A man was killed while operating a tractor in a La Grange-area orchard Saturday afternoon, according to the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District and the Sheriff’s Office.
Shortly before 5 p.m., and at the request of Merced County Fire/Cal Fire, Stanislaus Consolidated was dispatched to a report of a man trapped between a tractor and a tree in the 1600 block of West Olsen Road. A battalion chief’s incident summary said a four-wheel drive apparatus was called because of muddy conditions in the orchard.
“While en route, we were notified the subject was being brought to the pavement in a Kubota utility vehicle,” the summary says. It adds that medics then confirmed the man was dead, “due to obvious signs.”
Sheriff’s Lt. brent Fainter said the man, whose identity was not available Sunday, was working for a tree-removal company. He said the man either was pinned between the tractor and a tree or beneath a tractor tire.
Both the Sheriff’s Office and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health are investigating the incident.
This story was originally published March 5, 2023 at 9:44 AM.
