17-year-old who had enlisted in the Army dies when tractor tips onto him, WI cops say

A 17-year-old with big aspirations for his future was found dead in his driveway when a tractor toppled on top of him, according to Wisconsin police and news reports.

The teen, identified as Race Landon, was operating a Ford 8N tractor during the Friday, Aug. 16, incident in Cassville, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office told WMTV. He was using the tractor to remove a tree that had fallen in a driveway.

Authorities said he was using a chain connected to the tree and tractor, but it caused the front of the tractor to come up, WISC reported. The tractor then toppled backwards with Landon still on top of it, according to the sheriff.

A family member eventually discovered the teen under the tractor and called 911, sheriff’s officials told WKOW. He was pronounced dead at the scene, the news outlet reported.

Landon was entering his senior year at Cassville High School and had been accepted into the Army days before his death, his aunt, Melissa McCauley, said in a Facebook post.

He had plans to leave for basic training after his high school graduation, then later continue his education with dreams of becoming an attorney, according to his obituary.

His grandfather, Mark Landon, said Race was “super smart and talented” and had the ability to make the family smile.

“Race was brave and fiercely independent. He was an old soul and friendly young man,” his obituary states. “He never met a stranger and could talk for hours about history. Race was very intelligent, with a quirky sense of humor and quick wit.”

Cassville is about a 100-mile drive southwest from Madison.