Body of local farmer found near his
tractor
Bill Wilson bwilson@thekansan.com
Newton Kansan
A longtime area farmer died Monday
night after he was discovered near a burning tractor.
Melvin J. Peters, 77, of rural Harvey
County, died Monday night at Newton Medical Center from an
unspecified ailment, Harvey County Sheriff's Deputy Gary Crittenden
said. He had been scheduled for angioplasty therapy Wednesday,
friends and family told sheriff's officers.
The tractor fire was discovered at 7:05
p.m. Monday near his home at Southeast 84th and South Oliver by a
passer-by, Judd Brackeen. He saw black smoke from the fire as he
drove down a nearby road. Brackeen found the burning tractor and was
attempting to disconnect an implement attached to it when he
discovered Peters on the ground.
There was no indication of how the fire
was started, the sheriff's department said.
Brackeen performed CPR until officers
and paramedics from Newton EMS arrived on the scene. Crittenden
reported he was unable to locate a pulse on the left side of Peters'
neck when he arrived.
Peters was taken to Newton Medical
Center by Newton EMS, where he died.
