A devoted member of Bedford Baptist Church died Saturday morning after losing control of the ride-on lawnmower he was operating on the property.
Sgt. Rob Lowther of the Halifax Regional Police confirmed the 61-year-old man’s death but did not disclose his name.
Lowther said the incident occurred at about 10 a.m.
“We believe he was mowing the lawn on the ride-on lawnmower and he rolled over the embankment and the lawnmower rolled on top of him,” said Lowther.
The lawnmower had overturned on the Rock Lake Drive church property, sending both the man and the vehicle over a steep embankment and onto a sidewalk bordering the Bedford Highway.
According to a witness, a group of about seven motorcyclists travelling along the Bedford Highway attempted to save the man. Ryan McMullen, an employee of Mighty Auto on Bedford Highway, said he watched the men stop their vehicles and pull the lawnmower off the man. He said the man’s body was partially on the road.
McMullen said he believed the man had died by the time the bikers pulled the lawnmower off the victim. No one at the scene performed CPR, he said.
“But those bikers deserve a lot of credit. They stuck around and directed traffic. There was seven or eight of them. It was a crazy morning.
“I had three or four customers when I noticed what was happening. I was just about ready to dart out the door but realized I was the only one here in the office.
“We were all in shock. It’s a very difficult thing to witness.”
Police, EHS and Halifax Regional Fire Department attended the scene, which was cleared by about 1 p.m. Traffic along Bedford Highway had been reduced to one lane throughout the morning.
Peter Metcalfe, Bedford Baptist Church office administrator, said the incident has stunned parish members. Metcalfe was among a small group from the congregation who were grieving at the property shortly after the accident. He said the man had volunteered his Saturday to help out with landscaping at the church.
“It’s really hard right now because we’re trying to process it,” said Metcalfe. “He was heavily involved in the life of the church here.
“There were a bunch of guys that were doing some landscaping work this
morning. The lawnmower flipped over. It was just a terrible, tragic accident. He volunteered a lot around the church.”
Metcalfe said he’s still in shock. “I got the call (Saturday) morning and I couldn’t believe it. He’s so instrumental to the life of the church here. Him not being around and being such a presence in our church and to think of his family, is pretty devastating. He’s been here at the church for a decade. He was a good friend.”
