Woman's Leg Cut Off In Accident

Mark Bruce, Reporter

Posted: 10:12 pm EDT June 26, 2010
Updated: 10:14 am EDT June 27, 2010

CLARK COUNTY, Ohio -- A woman lost part of her left leg in a lawn mower accident but authorities believe the actions of her son and paramedics kept her from sustaining even more injuries.

Sheriff's deputies said the 84-year-old woman was talking to her son as he stopped mowing the lawn at her home on Old Mill Road in Clark County Saturday evening.

As the son started up the tractor and lawn mower, his mother began to walk away. She slipped and her leg was trapped in the mower, cut off below the knee.

Hustead paramedics and Clark County Sheriff's Deputies arrived on scene within minutes.

Paramedic Ilva Richards said, "The son immediately applied a tourniquet in the thigh area which helped to control the blood loss. Had he not done that, she would have lost more blood then she did."

A Careflight helicopter responded to the scene but flight nurses said the tourniquet was not adequate enough to allow the woman to fly.

So paramedics fashioned a new one from a towel and tree branch.

Paramedic Zach Pitstick said, "It can apply a lot more pressure then what we had on there. We've learned you use anything you can if it's necessary."

Careflight transported the woman to Miami Valley Hospital where she's listed in critical condition.

From: http://www.whiotv.com/news/24057357/detail.html?cxntlid=cmg_cntnt_rss