Coroner's Finding: Tribolet, John Wesley
Deceased
John Wesley Tribolet
Demographics
82y, male
Date of death
2019-11-19
Finding date
2023-02-17
Cause of death
mechanical asphyxia from being pinned beneath overturned ATV
AI-generated summary
An 82-year-old man died from mechanical asphyxia after rolling a Polaris side-by-side ATV on a farm. He lost control while moving sheep, collided with a gate and fence, causing the vehicle to roll laterally. He was ejected from the cabin and crushed beneath the vehicle. The death was preventable: he was not wearing the fitted seatbelt and the vehicle lacked cabin safety nets (both recommended in the manual). Autopsy showed no alcohol or drugs. Vehicle inspection revealed no mechanical defects. The coroner emphasized that seatbelt use and cabin nets would have prevented ejection and death. Key lesson: safety equipment must be used consistently, especially in older workers who may be reluctant to adopt safety practices.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- failure to wear seatbelt
- absence of cabin safety nets
- loss of traction or control of vehicle (reason undetermined)
- collision with gate and fence causing vehicle rollover
- ejection from vehicle cabin during rollover
Coroner's recommendations
- ATVs only be operated in accordance with the operator's manual, particularly in regard to the wearing of seat belts and the use of cage nets
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Source and disclaimer
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