Farming fatality

The Jump River Community is in mourning this week for the death of Myron Brooks.

Brooks was a familiar face in the community as a lifelong resident and community volunteer helping to get the Jump River 4th of July celebration started. He was also active in local and county government serving as the former town chairman for Jump River and represented the area for many years as a member of the Taylor County Board of Supervisors. Brooks was also active with the Jump River Electric Cooperative currently serving as the board chairman.

On Sunday, April 21, at 1:43 p.m. the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a man trapped underneath a manure spreader near N8869 State Highway 73 in the town of Jump River. Taylor County sheriff’s deputies along with fire, ambulance and other emergency services were dispatched.

See MYRON BROOKS on page 5 Upon arrival of emergency services, the man was extracted from beneath the manure spreader and identified as 71-yearold Myron F. Brooks of Jump River. Brooks succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sheriff’s Office investigation into the incident determined that Brooks had been pulling a manure spreader behind his tractor in a field south bound on is way to help a neighbor. The neighbor went to look for Brooks because he was overdue and found him unresponsive and trapped underneath the manure spreader. Tracks in the field indicate Brooks had turned around for an unknown reason and headed back north before striking a power pole. Brooks then fell from the tractor and was trapped under the manure spreader.

The cause of the accident is undetermined, but it is believed Brooks may have suffered a medical emergency causing him to lose control of the tractor which resulted in striking the utility pole then falling from the tractor and under the manure spreader.