Area woman hurt in tractor accident

A tractor accident Friday has 81-year-old Ann Fier of Taunton in critical condition at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. She was injured in an accident at the Rye Nursery Farms between Taunton and Porter. According to family members, not much is known about the accident that’s left Fier with a punctured lung, broken ribs, broken pelvis and other broken bones.

Apparently, she’d gotten off the tractor to attend to some dirt on one of the discs, “But nobody really knows what happened,” said her daughter Missy Hennen.

The tractor was found away from Fier as it ran into something else and stopped. Her husband Tony estimated she’d worked at the Rye Farms for many years.

“None of it makes a lot of sense,” said son-in-law Steve Hennen. Fier remains at Avera and currently is only partially conscious.

“She’s not going backwards,” said daughter Missy Hennen.

“She’s responding, nods to questions and moves her feet and hands, but a lot was broken,” the daughter added.

A daughter, Jackie lives a block from the hospital so is near her mother.

“It’s hard to see her lying in the bed,” Missy said.

“We think it will be touch and go for awhile,” Missy Hennen added.