Published: July 01, 2009 09:46 pm      

Peru man killed removing tree trunk

A 66-year-old Peru man died Tuesday evening when he was trapped under a tree trunk he was trying to remove from his yard.

State police troopers from the Peru were called to David M. Sullivan’s home at 4153 W. 500 South, shortly after 8:30 p.m. and found him pinned between a large tree trunk and the roll bar of his John Deere tractor. Sullivan was unconscious and not breathing.

The troopers lifted the heavy tree trunk off Sullivan and held it away from his body until firefighters arrived and removed him from the tractor. Despite life-saving efforts by first responders, Sullivan was pronounced dead at the scene by Miami County Coroner Todd Burns. He died from severe trauma to the chest area.

Preliminary investigation by troopers revealed Sullivan was apparently using the front loader on his John Deere tractor to push the tree trunk out of his yard. The trunk either rolled back onto Sullivan or the tractor went forward causing the tree trunk to end up on top of the tractor, pinning Sullivan into the roll bar. The tractor was not equipped with a cab.

Grissom Fire Department, the Miami County Sheriff Department and Dukes Hospital EMS assisted at the scene.