Cemetery caretaker dies after lawnmower accident, police say

Police say a 78-year-old man has died after being trapped beneath an overturned riding mower he had been using to trim grass on a hillside.

Franklin Rose of Newburgh died at a hospital Tuesday afternoon after being found pinned under the tipped-over machine at Cedar Hill Cemetery along Route 9W in Newburgh. Officials say Rose had been caring for the cemetery grounds for about 25 years.

An autopsy is scheduled to determine if Rose died of injuries from the accident or was stricken with a sudden medical issue.

Town of Newburgh Police Chief Mike Clancy tells the Times Herald-Record of Middletown the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration was notified about the accident because it occurred at a workplace.