Authorities have identified a rural Pierson man as the victim of a fatal farm accident in northwest Iowa Tuesday night. Plymouth County Sheriff’s deputies and other rescue personnel responded to the accident at 10:20 p.m.
They found a tractor fully submerged in a river and learned 48-year-old David Klingensmith was pinned under the tractor in the water. He drowned and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say Klingensmith was driving the tractor over a bridge when he swerved to avoid hitting a pickup parked on the bridge. The tractor rolled down an embankment and into the river.
Two people were standing on the bridge fishing off the side at the time of the accident, which remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.
By Dennis Morrice, KLEM, Le Mars