Boonsboro town worker injured when trapped beneath tractor

July 18, 2003|by GREGORY T. SIMMONS & BRIAN SHAPPELL

BOONSBORO - A worker for the Town of Boonsboro was injured Thursday when he was trapped under a tractor for more than 30 minutes.

Kenny Ashbaugh was mowing grass at around 7:45 a.m. with a tractor near a stream at a town pumping station on Md. 34, Debbie Smith, Boonsboro assistant town manager, said Thursday morning.

A stream embankment gave way, causing the tractor to flip over on top of Ashbaugh.

He was flown to Washington County Hospital by helicopter.

Town Manager John Kendall said he was relieved that Ashbaugh did not appear to be seriously injured, and said he was taken to the hospital as a "precautionary measure."

"Tests have been run; he's fine," Kendall said. "He has bruises and minor abrasions. He's going to be fine. He's lucky that he wasn't more seriously injured."

A hospital spokeswoman said Thursday night that Kendall was admitted to the hospital but she did not have his condition available.

Kendall said Ashbaugh already was scheduled to be off today, and believes he might not miss a day of work due to the accident.

"If all goes well, he'll be present for duty Monday morning," Kendall said.

Town workers later recovered the tractor and bushhog, rough cut lawn mower, from the nearby creek. Neither were seriously damaged, according to Kendall.

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