Equipment operator killed in tractor rollover in Healdsburg

An equipment operator was killed Monday after a tractor they were operating rolled over in a Healdsburg vineyard, fire officials said.

The Northern Sonoma County Fire District and California Highway Patrol responded about 8:44 a.m. to a reported tractor rollover on a private property at 6355 Mountain View Ranch Road, according to the CHP traffic log.

Firefighters searched the vineyard and eventually located the individual under the tractor, said Fire Chief Marshall Turbeville. They were immediately pronounced dead.

The worker, who is with Bevill Vineyard Management LLC, was driving the tractor on a muddy dirt road when it overturned and crushed the employee, said a spokesperson with investigator Cal/OSHA, the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Bevill founder Duff Bevill issued a statement Thursday night saying the company will cooperate with OSHA into the worker’s death.

“He was a valued employee, a respected colleague and an excellent person,” Bevill said in his statement. “We have reached out to his family and we will pay for the funeral costs and pay for the transportation expenses to reunite him with his loved ones.”

The Sonoma County Coroner was called to the scene. The individual will be identified after their family is contacted.

Cal/OSHA is still investigating the crash.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.