Othello man dies in farm accident

A tractor accident in an orchard in Adams County killed an Othello man.

Jose V. Rodriguez, 49, was operating a tractor pulling a sprayer when it apparently slid down a hill and rolled over to one side, according to the Adams County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies were advised of the accident at about 7:30 yesterday morning in an orchard in the 700 block of Danielson Road.

Rodriguez was trapped underneath the tractor and died instantly of internal injuries, said Undersheriff Kevin Fuhr in a press release. Rodriguez was working in the Snow Ranch West Orchard at the time of the accident.

As a result of the accident, 100 gallons of pesticide was released from the sprayer and soaked into the ground.

The Adams County Sheriff's Office, along with the Department of Labor and Industries, is investigating the accident.