Driver in earth mover goes airborne down embankment at landfill

YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. — A man operating an earth mover at a landfill Friday in Zillah, Washington escaped serious injury when the machine careened down a steep embankment.

Yakima County sheriff’s deputies said a contractor from Longview was driving the machine near the embankment when its transmission went out, causing it to go on a roller coaster ride of about 700 yards down a steep slope.

When the earth mover reached a low area, it went airborne for about 150 yards, according to deputies. The front of the machine hit the ground, causing it to flip on its top.

Deputies said the driver was wearing his seat belt and was not seriously injured, but was taken to Virginia Mason Memorial by ambulance as a precautionary measure

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