An elderly Putnam County man lost his life while mowing grass Saturday, July 30, according to authorities.
William Edward Gingles, 81, of Blue Branch Road, was killed when the Gravely XL lawn mower he was on turned over, said Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills.
“Mr. Gingles was seat belted on the lawn mower and evidently the steep grade of the embankment he was mowing caused the machine to turn over on top of him and he was trapped underneath it,” the sheriff explained.
No one else was home at the time, Sills said, so the accident was not reported until a passerby called 911 around 8:15 p.m. The sheriff estimated the accident happened around 5 p.m. Gingles was still seatbelted to the lawn mower.
“There is no evidence of foul play, and the scene clearly supports that this was a tragic accident,” Sills said.
The sheriff said he was attempting to find the victim’s wife or other family members when the wife came home, driving a golf cart. She said she had been visiting neighbors.