A Guthrie Center man was airlifted Friday with severe injuries after his tractor rolled over while moving a large stone. According to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, the accident occurred at approximately 12:10 p.m. on N. 6th Street. Authorities say 65-year-old Howie Eugene Hockenberry was operating a Ford 901 Tractor equipped with a front-end loader to move a heavy rock. Hockenberry was backing the tractor with the boulder in the bucket when the back tires lost traction in the grass and overturned, rolling down the hill. Hockenberry was pinned underneath the tractor but managed to extricate himself under his own power. He was transported to the Guthrie County Hospital by Guthrie County Emergency Medical Services and later airlifted to Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines for treatment of serious injuries. The Guthrie Center Fire Department and Iowa State Patrol also assisted at the scene.
