The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports Saturday afternoon, an eight-year old boy was injured during an accident on the Guthrie County Fairgrounds. Authorities say Dominik Stilwell, of Guthrie Center, was run over by a 4,000 pound trolley trailer, being pulled by a John Deere tractor. He suffered suspected crushing injuries to his right leg, and transported to Blank Children’s Hospital by Panora EMS. The accident happened at around 3:45-p.m.

Sheriff’s officials say the tractor was being operated by 39-year-old Willis Sheeder, of Guthrie Center. He was driving/pulling the trailer at approximately 4.5-to 5 miles per hour with about 5-to 8-people on-board. Stilwell was riding with two juvenile family members from Guthrie Center. Witness reports said the three juveniles had been jumping on-and-off the trolley while it was in motion, transporting passengers around the fairgrounds. An adult passenger told the kids to stop jumping on and off and said they should sit down.

At the time of the accident, Dominik Stilwell was sitting on floor of the trailer on the right side, with his feet hanging off, dragging on the ground. He was sitting directly in front of the right side tire on the trolley trailer, when one of his untied shoe strings became caught in the tire, causing him to be pulled off and run over. The driver was flagged down and stopped immediately. Bystanders then rendered aid to the child before he was transported to the hospital. An investigation determined the floor of the trailer the boy was sitting on was 15.5 inches off the ground. The untied shoestring was measured at 12-inches long.  There were no citations issued, and no other injuries reported.