Mattawa man dies in tractor rollover

MATTAWA - A man from Mattawa died Saturday afternoon after the tractor he was driving went out of control and rolled.

Daniel Martinez Cortez, 57, of Mattawa was crushed when the force of the action threw him off the tractor and then the tractor landed on him. The tractor was pulling an orchard sprayer.

The accident happened on Road O SW, 1/4 mile from Highway 243, about nine miles south of Mattawa. There is a steep downslope in that section of Road O.

Martinez Cortez was southbound when the rollover occurred.

"For some unknown reason, the tractor left the roadway to the west (right)," Grant County Sheriff Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said. "Then Mr. Martinez Cortez over-corrected and the tractor rolled."

Martinez Cortez died at the scene of the accident.

Grant County Fire District No. 8 emergency medical technicians responded to the call. Chief Dave Patterson said Martinez Cortez was still pinned under the tractor when he arrived.

"He was dead on impact," Patterson said.

There was no attempt at revival.

Patterson said the Martinez Cortez tractor was part of a three-tractor convoy that was moving from one orchard to another.

According to Patterson, the driver of the lead tractor looked back and saw that the accident had happened. The driver of the third tractor had not cleared the hill, and he came upon the accident after it occurred.