The coroner has released the identity of a man who died by electrocution when a tractor loading grain onto a semi-truck brought down power lines, injuring a second man, near Marengo.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office and Boone County Fire District #2 responded around 5:15 p.m. Monday to the area of County Line Road and Jackson Road on the border of Garden Prairie and Marengo for a report of a farm accident.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said they were dispatched to the scene around 5:30 p.m. after it was determined the accident occurred south of the intersection on the McHenry County side of the border in unincorporated Marengo.
A preliminary investigation showed that a 56-year-old Hebron man was operating a John Deere 9520RX tractor, which was pulling a Brent 2096 grain cart.
The farm equipment was positioned in the ditch area adjacent to the roadway, the sheriff’s office said.
The operator was offloading grain into a semi-truck parked on the road.
Sheriff’s officials said the grain cart’s chute made contact with the overhead power lines during the process, causing the lines to come down.
The energized power lines came into contact with the John Deere tractor.
A man, who was operating the semi-truck, attempted to approach and board the tractor, at which time he was electrocuted, sheriff’s officials said.
McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein identified the man on Wednesday as Dante Rico Cruz, 42, of Hebron. The sheriff’s office previously said he was 38 years old and a resident of Woodstock.
Firefighters arrived and found one man down on the ground and the second man inside a tractor unable to get out, according to Boone County Fire District #2 Chief Jay Diebold.
ComEd was notified and responded to the scene to de-energize the power line before emergency crews could approach.
It was confirmed that the power was shut down and first responders moved into the scene to provide treatment to the two victims, Diebold said.
Rico Cruz, who was down on the ground, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Diebold said the victim who was in the tractor was removed by firefighters and transported to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford for treatment. The sheriff’s office said he was listed in fair condition.
“Harvest season is still underway, and we remind the public and local farmers to be aware of your surroundings on the roadway, overhead, and for drivers to be on the lookout for deer that will be moving due to the fields being harvested,” Diebold said.
Deputies shut down County Line Road between Grange Road and Jackson Road for several hours and asked the community to avoid the area until around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday when the road reopened.
An autopsy will be performed on Rico Cruz on Friday at the coroner’s office.
The incident remains under investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Investigation Unit and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.