A woman lying on the beach in Oceanside, California, was killed after she was run over by a tractor. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. Monday (September 28) morning near South Oceanside Harbor.
Police said the woman was in her 40s or 50s and was fully clothed at the time but did not have any identification on her. A witness told investigators that the woman had been lying on the beach for a few hours. About an hour before the fatal accident, a concerned passerby went to check to see if she was breathing and told investigators that the woman appeared to be fine.
Officials said the tractor driver was working on a routine dredging project at Oceanside Harbor. The driver was backing into a safety area to drop off pipes that were set to be hauled away. He did not see the woman lying on the beach and was shaken up following the accident, which was witnessed by a nearby lifeguard.
“It’s a very tragic accident,” Oceanside Police Department Lt. Tom Bussey told KNSD.
Bussey told the news station that it is likely the woman was asleep and did not hear the tractor approaching.
The section of the beach remains cordoned off with yellow police tape as authorities continue to investigate the incident.
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