The top policeman in a southwestern Iowa town is hospitalized after a tree-trimming accident. Kathy Brock Green, the wife Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green, says her husband suffered multiple injuries during the accident, including a broken shoulder blade, fractured shoulder and collar bone, two broken ribs, bruises to his face, and other, internal injuries.
Atlantic Police Lieutenant Dave Erickson says the accident took place at around 1:45 Sunday afternoon. The 53-year-old Green was on a ladder at his home cutting a branch off of a tree about 15-to-18-feet off the ground late Sunday afternoon, when the branch hit the ladder.
Green lost his balance and fell to the ground, where he hit his shoulder and head. Green was first taken to Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, then flown to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, where he is conscious, alert and talking to family and friends.
He’s expected to be in the hospital at least a few days.
By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic