COLERAIN – A tragic agricultural mishap claimed the life of a well-known and well-respected farmer here Monday afternoon.

According to information obtained from Bertie County Sheriff Greg Atkins, 69-year-old Jesse Allen Matthews died as the result of injuries he sustained while working on the family farm in the Rosemead community in the northern part of the county.

&uot;From the information I received from one of my deputies living in that community, it appears Mr. Matthews was operating a farm tractor, pulling a trailer full of harvested tobacco,&uot; reported the Sheriff. &uot;The tractor apparently was experiencing trouble with its hydraulic pressure, causing it to appear that it was not in gear. When Mr. Matthews got off the tractor to investigate the source of the problem, apparently the tractor generated enough hydraulic pressure to begin moving forward.&uot;

Atkins said at that time the moving tractor knocked Matthews to the ground where he was struck by the rear tires. He was then struck by the tobacco trailer.

&uot;He may have survived the initial impact with the tractor, but I think the loaded tobacco trailer is what caused the fatal injury,&uot; noted Sheriff Atkins.

Matthews was rushed to Roanoke-Chowan Hospital by the Colerain Rescue Squad and then to Greenville via EastCare ground service.

A member of Wakelon Baptist Church and an Army veteran who served his country in the Korean War, Matthews be buried today at Highland Memorial Garden following a 2 p.m. service at Garrett Funeral Home.