Lake County-A Metamora, Indiana man who was part of a sub-contractor crew assigned to mow I-65 in northwest Indiana died.
Preliminary investigation by Corporal Dan Avitia revealed at approximately 11:15 a.m., this Thursday, June 9, 2016, morning, a 2000 John Deere tractor pulling a fifteen foot mower, owned by Linkel Company out of Batesville, Indiana, and driven by Charles D. Sizemore, 55 of Metamora, was mowing grass on the east side of I-65 north bound at the 249 mile marker (this is two miles north of the Crown Point exit).
Sizemore was part of a crew that was sub-contracted by the Indiana Department of Transportation for mowing multi-lane roads in northwest Indiana: in this instance I-65.
Sizemore was mowing south bound facing north bound traffic in the grassy area located east of the outer shoulder when for unknown reasons lost consciousness, his tractor/mower went up the embankment, then down, and hit the guard rail directly under the 113th Street overpass. Sizemore did had have a lap belt on which kept him on the tractor but his facial area hit the steering wheel.
Sizemore was taken to South Lake Methodist Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
His family has been notified.
An autopsy is pending.
Agencies assisting: Trooper John Holmen and Fred Trammel, Detectives Brian McCall and Gary Runde, Crown Point Fire Rescue, and Midnight Blue Towing.
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All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Picture is of the tractor/mower
