Man killed after being run over by tractor equipment in Wadena County

WING RIVER TOWNSHIP, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 63-year-old man died Tuesday after he was run over by tractor equipment in Wing River Township.

The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call around 11:30 a.m. after a caller said a man had been run over by a tractor in section 24 of Wing River Township.  

When first responders arrived on the scene, they located Raphael Kern, 63, who had been run over by a round baler, a piece of equipment used to make large round, bales of hay.

According to authorities, the two men had been working on the tractor that was pulling the baler, which had broken down the day before. While working on the tractor, Kern was in between the tractor and baler, The tractor was left in gear from when it broke down, and it started running and driving, and ran Kern over, according to authorities. 

Kern was lifted to Sanford Hospital in Fargo, N.D. where he was later pronounced dead.