Volga man dies in train-tractor crash

Investigators work at the scene of a train-tractor crash west of Brookings on Friday afternoon. The accident occurred at about 12:35 p.m., where the DM&E railroad tracks cross West 10th Street, northwest of the Brookings Regional Airport. The tractor driver, Stanley Hesby of Volga, was killed in the crash.

• Driver, passenger in train not injured

BROOKINGS – A Volga man died in a train-tractor crash one mile west of Brookings on Friday afternoon.

Stanley Hesby, 71, was traveling north on West 10th Street near 469th Avenue at about 12:35 p.m., when he began to cross the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad tracks.

A single DM&E locomotive struck the Ford farm tractor Hesby was driving that was pulling two carts full of corn.

The impact tore the tractor cab from the rear axle, ejecting Hesby and sending the tractor into the south ditch. Hesby suffered fatal injuries.

At least one of the carts of corn spilled onto the tracks.

Authorities spent at least four hours on Friday investigating at the scene and working to clean up and reopen the roadway that’s just northwest of the Brookings Regional Airport.

The DM&E locomotive driver and a passenger, 27-year-old Chase Loof and 31-year-old Jeremiah Burke, both of Huron, were not injured in the collision.

No further information was immediately available Friday.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating. Brookings County Sheriff’s Office and the Brookings Police Department assisted at the scene.