Farmer likely drowned after knock to head

A Hawke’s Bay farmer likely drowned in 20 centimetres of water after suffering a concussion while trying to prevent his quad bike from going over a cliff, a coroner’s report has found.

Harry de Lautour, 33, died in an accident on the family farm near Flemington, Hawke’s Bay, on September 28, 2020.

De Lautour was found by a fellow farmworker at the base of a steep 10-metre bush-covered gully

embankment, lying face down in a onemetre wide shallow stream, with water about 20cm deep.

His quad bike was found in the gully about 2m from de Lautour.

An autopsy found an indication of a blunt force injury to the head and left side of his face.

‘‘The injury was not sufficient to cause death, however there may have been a concussive element which resulted in the decedent being unable to move himself from the creek,’’ a report by forensic pathologist Dr Amy Spark said.

A police report of the scene suggested de Lautour parked his quad bike on top of a knoll near a gully while he stopped to dock twin lambs.

He did not engage the quad bike’s rear brake locking plate and a strong gust of wind caused the bike to move and start careening downhill.

Senior Constable Tim Rowe, who assessed the scene, believed de Lautour

attempted to change the path of the quad bike and steer it away from the

embankment, but in doing so was carried over the edge with the bike.

‘‘The momentum was sufficient to carry him over the embankment with the quad bike where he sustained a head injury, not of itself fatal, but which likely had a concussive effect,’’ the report said.

That resulted in de Lautour being unable to move himself from the creek.

A WorkSafe report found concluded there were no health and safety failings.

It found de Lautour led safe work practices on the farm and enforced the use of helmets with quad bikes and seatbelts in 4x4 utility vehicles.

He was found to still be wearing his safety helmet at the scene. Testing identified no drugs or alcohol in his system.

De Lautour attended Christ’s College in Christchurch during his teens. He was married to wife Kate and had two young boys, Archie and Patch.

His family declined to comment.