Wichita man, 79, found dead after riding mower rolls off into creek

A 79-year-old Wichita man was found dead after his riding mower rolled into a creek bed near his home, trapping him beneath, police said Friday.

The accident occurred Thursday in the 11000 block of West Hidden Lake Road, near Maize and Maple, Wichita police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow said.

The man had been riding the mower near the edge of a creek when it rolled off, turning upside down and trapping him under, Woodrow said.

The man’s wife found him; police responded to the 911 call about 3 p.m. Thursday, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. It was not clear how long he had been trapped.

The incident was the second time this week that someone has died in an accident involving a lawn mower.

Both accidents show the need to “use extreme caution when using or working on mowers,” Woodrow said.

This story was originally published July 1, 2016 at 10:46 AM with the headline "Wichita man, 79, found dead after riding mower rolls off into creek."