DARLINGTON - A tractor plowed into a parade staging area Sunday in Darlington, injuring three people and causing one victim to be Medflighted to Madison.
The accident occurred at 1:43 p.m. Sunday on W. Mary Street as parade participants were preparing to enter the Canoe Festival parade route, according to a news release from Darlington Police Chief Jason King.
Richard Corley, 39, of Darlington, started the tractor to get it ready for the parade. According to King, Corley was not on the tractor but was standing next to it. He was not aware the tractor was in gear, and it moved forward, running over Corley and another pedestrian, identified as Robert Schmid, 69, of Argyle.
Schmid suffered the most serious injuries and after being transported to Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County, was flown by Medflight to University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. Corley had moderate injuries and was treated at Memorial Hospital, King said.
The tractor struck a float in front of it, causing the wheels of the tractor to "hop up" onto the float, King said. A third man on the float, identified as Marion Roberts, 64, of Stockton, Illinois, had minor injuries and was also treated at Memorial Hospital.
The Darlington Police Department was assisted by Rural Medical Ambulance Service, the Darlington Fire Department and Lafayette County Sheriff's Office. The accident remains under investigation.
The accident occurred at 1:43 p.m. Sunday on W. Mary Street as parade participants were preparing to enter the Canoe Festival parade route, according to a news release from Darlington Police Chief Jason King.
Richard Corley, 39, of Darlington, started the tractor to get it ready for the parade. According to King, Corley was not on the tractor but was standing next to it. He was not aware the tractor was in gear, and it moved forward, running over Corley and another pedestrian, identified as Robert Schmid, 69, of Argyle.
Schmid suffered the most serious injuries and after being transported to Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County, was flown by Medflight to University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. Corley had moderate injuries and was treated at Memorial Hospital, King said.
The tractor struck a float in front of it, causing the wheels of the tractor to "hop up" onto the float, King said. A third man on the float, identified as Marion Roberts, 64, of Stockton, Illinois, had minor injuries and was also treated at Memorial Hospital.
The Darlington Police Department was assisted by Rural Medical Ambulance Service, the Darlington Fire Department and Lafayette County Sheriff's Office. The accident remains under investigation.