Man dies in farm accident
An 83-year-old Clearwater man died during a farming accident Tuesday afternoon at his home when his tractor slid off an 8-foot drop and fell on top of him, according to officials.
Lewis Atkinson, 83, was pronounced dead at his home in Clearwater around 1:30 p.m. from multiple body trauma, said Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton.
Atkinson was preparing his garden when the incident occurred, the coroner stated.
"Apparently, he was attempting to plow a drainage trench downhill toward a pond on the property when he drove the tractor down an 8-foot dropoff, causing the vehicle to overturn," he explained.
The man never fell into the water.
His family found him after the accident, Carlton said.
His family knew he had been on the tractor plowing, but they didn't seen him and went looking for him, officials said.
He was plowing a small area, and Carlton said he maybe simply didn't notice how close he had gotten to the edge.
The death is classified as a farming accident and not tallied as part of the state's motor vehicle cash statistics.
The Aiken County Coroner's Office is investigating the death; however, no autopsy is planned at this time, Carlton added.
Contact Karen Daily at kdaily@aikenstandard.com.
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