Matthews Ridge man dies in tractor accident

The accident scene (Police photo)
The accident scene (Police photo)

Police in Regional Division #1 are probing an accident on Monday at Jawbone Backdam Trail, North West District, involving a motor tractor, which resulted in the death of 29-year-old Horman Bumbery of Matthews Ridge, NWD.

A release from the police said that Leon Meadas, a 31-year-old from Matthews Ridge, was hospitalised in a serious condition, while the 35-year-old driver of the tractor, Anzel Ashby, was arrested and is in Police custody assisting with the investigation.

Enquiries disclosed that Ashby and the two occupants Bumbery and Meadas were heading into Jawbone Backdam, with Meadas sitting on the right-side fender of the tractor and Bumbery seated on the left-side fender. As the tractor descended a hill, the left-side front and rear wheels fell into a pothole, causing the tractor to fall on its left side and pinning Bumbery.

As a result, Meadas fell off and sustained injuries to his left foot and ribs. He was assisted by a passerby who took him to the Baramita Cottage Hospital where he was seen and examined by a Doctor who admitted him in a serious condition.

Police ranks subsequently visited the scene at about 22:15 hrs, where they found the driver and victim (Bumbery), who had been removed from under the tractor by public-spirited persons. They were both escorted to the said hospital, where Bumbery was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor. The driver was treated and discharged.

The driver was later arrested and placed in custody. A breathalyser test showed 0.0 micrograms.

Medas was flown to the Georgetown Public Hospi-tal Corporation for advanc-ed medical attention.