The Franklin County Sheriff's Department received a 911 call of a tractor accident at 4:58pm Wednesday and the caller said the victim was not breathing. Franklin County Deputies, Pleasant View First Responders and Franklin County EMS responded to the property in the 7900 block of Highway 64, approximately 2 miles west of the Pleasant View School. When emergency personnel arrived at the scene they found the body of 57 year old Gary Smyth slumped over on the tractor. Smyth was pronounced dead at the scene and the body has been sent to the State Crime Lab for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. No foul play is expected. Authorities are unsure if the accident occurred as a result of a medical issue or if it was something else. According to authorities it appeared that Smyth had been operating the tractor with a round bale of hay loaded on a pair of forks attached to the loader. Authorities found the tractor backed into some tree's and the loader extended all the way up. The bale of hay appeared to have rolled back of the loader and onto the operator coming to rest next to the tractor.
Smyth was found by his girlfriend after he did not return home when expected. Smyth had left the home about 3:30 to go feed some hay and when he did not return after more than an hour his girlfriend went to check on him.