AVON - A 52-year-old Avon man died Saturday in what Bon Homme County Sheriff Lenny Gramkow called a “freak accident.”
Jay Mudder , who recently celebrated his 52nd birthday, died at approximately noon Saturday when he was feeding cattle on his property about 4 miles south of Avon.
Mudder was driving a tractor with a “big round bale” on the front of it,” Gramkow said, and parked the tractor in front of a gate on a downhill slope. Mudder, who was alone, exited the tractor to open the gate, and while doing so, the tractor rolled forward, pinning him between the gate and the bale. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accident serves as a grim reminder that, as farming season picks up in the coming weeks, people need to be cognizant of their surroundings and equipment, Gramkow said.
“This is just one of those freak accidents where he wasn’t really doing anything wrong,” Gramkow said. “I guess the biggest thing is just to make sure your equipment’s working right and you don’t get in a hurry - though I’m not saying that he was in a hurry.”
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Along with the sheriff’s office, the Avon Fire Department and Avon Ambulance also responded.
According to Mudder’s death notice, a visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a 7 p.m. prayer service at the First Baptist Church in Avon. The funeral will be held at Avon High School Gymnasium at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
