Mont Belvieu, Texas Man dies in tractor accident

[Jimmyb33]

This one really hits close to me... too close.

I take my daughter to school every morning before I go to work like many dads out there do. After dropping her off, I allways take the "short-cut" back behind the school and football field to get back out the the main road. I go this particular route for a couple of reasons... first it gets me out of the traffic caused by the other parrents dropping their kids off, and second, it takes me by the school district's maintence shop where I can check out their equipment on the drive-by. I like looking at their tractors and big rideing mowers and such. Last Friday morning I was making my rounds as normal when I pass a fellow on a nice New Holland with a post hole digger on the back. He's friendly and gives me the "Texas Wave" as I pass and I return the gesture. I think to myself ...this is a great day to be out working on the tractor. I was a little jealous that I had to go sit in my office all day.

I get home Friday evening and ask my daughter how school was. She said "it was good... but someone got killed there today". As she handed me the note sent home with all the kids, I thought about the guy I had passed that morning. It turns out some of his clothes got caught up in the auger... He didn't make it.

I haven't been about to quit thinking about him and his family.
Here's the article from the local paper... it doesn't give much detail about the accident.

The Baytown Sun

Be safe out there.

jb

 

[Gittyup]

Wow! I figured an auger would tear you up pretty good. But, didn't really think it could kill you. Mine will get a lot more respect from now on.

Tough way to go.

 

[MikeInEburg]

I've read that more folks get killed or injured by augers than my any other tractor implement. They're heartless - keep your distance. My thoughts go out to the family.
Mike

 

[farmboy12]

Everybody thinks, "it couldn't happen to me." It can. The family is in our prayers.


Kyle

 

[Ridgewalker]

I am amazed everytime I see a story about a PHD. I still can't comprehend how someone thinks getting close to a spinning auger is a good thing.

What a shame...

 

[Kfbeal]

That's sad, and only 33 years young. It's amazing how fast things can happen. I can't tell you how many times we've used leverage on the back of an auger to help it dig. Even pushed on it left/right trying to get it to dig. We always have someone at the PTO lever when we dig holes though.

I recall a time when I was picking cotton on an open cab 2-row IH-522 picker. A family friend was on the picker with me and got down on the unit to look between the units to see if cotton was flying that we were possibly choked up. He leaned down and a grease zert on the pto shaft operating the unit grabbed his tank-top and ripped it clear off of him. He was a big guy, probably 5'9" pushing 300 pounds and it didn't budge him. That could have been really bad. I looked up for a second, then back down and he was missing his shirt. Just that fast.

My thoughts and prayers to his family.

 

[Big Thom]

A few years ago near here there were two guys using an auger to take soil
boring samples. The one guy, the owner, got too close to the auger and it caught a piece of his clothing. Before he could get away or the other guy could shut off the auger, the owner lost both arms. The other guy called 911right away but the guy was a goner by the time they got there. They said there was no way to stop the bleeding, even if the EMS had been on site at the moment it happened they did not think they could have saved the guy.
They are dangerous machines, respect them.

 

[Soundguy]

I am amazed everytime I see a story about a PHD. I still can't comprehend how someone thinks getting close to a spinning auger is a good thing.

What a shame...

I agree.

wow.. tragic.. error..

soundguy

 

[kthompson]

He's friendly and gives me the "Texas Wave" as I pass and I return the gesture. I think to myself ...this is a great day to be out working on the tractor. I was a little jealous that I had to go sit in my office all day.
jb

Aren't you glad you drove by and returned the wave? It may have been one of the bright spots of his day. We none know when our last good bye will be or why even with a loved one. Life is truly "a vapor".

 

[Jimmyb33]

I am glad I returned the wave. I've thought severl time that I was most likely the last person to give this guy a friendly gesture. It still gets to me. I drive by every day like normal. The schools all have their flags at half staff this week. I get a little choked up every time I pass by.

jb