Man Dies In Bainbridge Farming Accident

policetape-77
policetape-77

Michigan State Police are investigating a farming death in Bainbridge Township. Troopers say first responders were sent to a cut cornfield in the 9,400 block of Territorial Road around 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday and found the body of 62-year-old Rafael Alonzo Zarate of Watervliet. Police believe Zarate had been chopping the remaining corn stubble in the field with a brush hog when he got off the tractor. For unknown reasons, he then reached across the power takeoff portion of the brush hog, got his clothing wrapped in the PTO, and was pulled into the machine. Zarate was alone at the time. Co-workers called police. State police say he’d been last seen Wednesday morning, so they haven’t yet determined what time the incident happened.