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Indiana | Found the info. Prayers for the families. I know some of the Kratzer's.
Wabash Plain Dealer (IN)
Crash leaves two injured
Mishele Wright
Published: September 28, 2010
SOMERSET — What investigators described as one of the worst farm traffic crashes in memory Monday left a Converse resident and a Marion man seriously injured. Grant County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Moore said Dave Kratzer, 48, Marion, was driving a semi-truck southbound on Ind. 13. He attempted to pass a farm tractor driven by Jason Sweet, 34, Converse. As the semi began to pass, Sweet began turning the tractor left into a private drive at 6334 N. 800W. The semi struck the driver’s side wheels of the tractor, Moore said.
“He must not have realized he was turning,” Moore said of Kratzer.
Deputies were dispatched to the accident at 10:07 a.m. When they arrived on scene, they found Sweet underneath the rear wheels of his tractor.
“Due to his head injury, he was combative,” Moore said.
Sweet suffered a skull fracture, massive head bleeding and broken ribs, Moore said. As of 7 p.m. Monday, Sweet was responding to sounds, moving and recognizing voices, he said.
Kratzer was trapped inside the cab of his semi for several minutes, until witnesses at the scene pried his door open and removed him. He was conscious and alert at the scene and suffered a broken femur and a possible head injury, Moore said.
Kratzer and Sweet were both flown from the scene by Samaritan helicopter to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. According to staff at the hospital, Kratzer was listed in fair condition and Sweet in critical condition as of 9 p.m. Monday.
Grant County Sheriff Darrell Himelick said the accident was the worst crash involving farm equipment that he’s seen in 30 years. He said motorists should be careful when driving around farm equipment, which travels slower than motor vehicles. Drivers should be aware of where the farm equipment is traveling before they decide to pass the equipment.
“You can pass, as long as you know where they’re going,” he said.
Himelick said Sweet’s tractor had turn signals, but he didn’t know if the farmer had signaled before he turned.
Moore said Sweet’s tractor was pulling an empty grain wagon, and deputies believe Sweet was turning into the driveway to pick up corn. He owned the farmland at the site. Upon impact, the rear wheels separated from the tractor.
The semi Kratzer was driving was completely full of soybeans, which spilled out when the vehicle crashed into the tractor.
Marion Fire Hazmat was called to the scene to clean up material that was leaking from the vehicles.
Marion Fire Deputy Chief
John Clouse said the semi leaked less than one gallon of hydraulic fluid, antifreeze and motor oil, but the diesel tank wasn’t ruptured. Firefighters used absorbent to soak up the liquids, which weren’t hazardous, Clouse said.
The tractor also leaked diesel fuel, which soaked into the ground.
In addition to the sheriff’s department and Hazmat, other agencies assisted with the accident, including Indiana State Police, Pleasant Township and Converse volunteer fire departments, Indiana Department of Transportation, Swayzee and Sweetser police departments and the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department.
Copyright 2010, Wabash Plain Dealer, All Rights Reserved.
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Anyone know where this happened?
