Pierce County Sheriff's Department - On Friday, August 03, 2012 at approximately 1357 hours, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department was dispatched to N7425 1170th Street , Clifton Township, for a forklift that had tipped over and landed on a subject. Upon arrival the forklift was on its side and had a male subject pinned underneath the extended portion of the boom.
The male subject was identified as Clayton Ewer, 34, of Amery, Wisconsin. Initial investigation showed that a four tire telescopic fork lift being operated by a Lonnie Ewer, Amery, was lifting rafters to the top of the house. The weight of the rafters and the angle of the forklift caused the forklift to overturn. The boom portion came crashing through the new construction house and landed on Clayton's leg, pinning him to the floor of the home.
A rotating wrecker from Jerry's Towing was requested to lift the heavy machine off of the subject to extricate him from under the machine. Once extricated from under the machine, Clayton was transported via Air Ambulance to Region's Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota with undetermined leg/extremity injuries.
No alcohol or drugs seemed to be a factor in this incident.
Assisting on scene was the River Falls Fire Department, River Falls Ambulance Service, Jerry's Towing and Recovery Expert's, and North Air Care.
Deputy Adam Olson
Pierce County Sheriff's Department
