Monday, October 28, 2013

Ohio teen killed after falling under tractor

FULTON COUNTY, OH -- 18-year-old Kyle Beck was killed Friday, Oct. 25, at about 7:20P.M. when he tried to jump onto a moving tractor.

"He either misplaced his foot on the step, or he slipped and fell off the tractor and he was run over," said Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Vern Fisher.

The tractor was on the road when the accident happened. The driver told police that Beck was run over by the tractor wheels, and the wheels of the gravity truck, which holds the grain.


The driver was just 15-years-old. There was also a 13-year-old riding passenger in the tractor.

According to officials, driving farm equipment starts young.

"It's pretty common for younger kids to drive tractors. They're been born and raised on the farm. They're taught at a very early age how to operate tractors," said Fisher.

In Ohio, teenagers younger than 16 may only operate farm equipment on their parent's land, but if they do so elsewhere, they must first complete a 24-hour training program.

In this case, police say the young driver was not at fault.

Lt. Fisher explains, "He wasn't doing anything wrong. He didn't know the kids were going to jump up on the tractor. That was a surprise to him."

The tractor was going about 10 miles-per-hour. It's unclear why Beck jumped onto the tractor in the first place.
Kyle Beck had just graduated from Pettisville High School earlier in 2013, and attended specialized training classes to become a mechanic.

celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, October 29 at 11A.M. at West Clinton Mennonite Church in Wauseon.

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