Man in critical condition after lawn mowing accident

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CAPE CORAL, Fla.- A man is in critical condition after being pinned underwater beneath a lawn mower.

Police say Monday morning, 54-year-old James Bates was on the riding lawn mower when he accidentally drove off a seawall behind a home on Northeast 10th Place.

Bates was pinned under the mower in a shallow portion of a canal for several minutes before being rescued.

Two city employees working across the canal saw him in the water and yelled at Bates’ wife, Dolly, to call 911. He was taken to Cape Coral Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Bates runs a small lawn care service along with his wife.

The couple’s neighbor says she was devastated to hear what happened to her friend.

“James is very nice and he’s always there to help my husband out when he needs him,” said Donna McDonald.

Dolly Bates says Tuesday morning, doctors were still draining fluid from her husband’s lungs.

 

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