Woman remains ‘critical’ after tractor crashes into parade crowd

UPDATE @11:40 a.m., June 15:

Kathy Hamilton remains in critical condition at Miami Valley Hospital after she was struck by an antique Ford tractor at the Poultry Days parade.

Her husband, Tom Hamilton, is listed in fair condition.

UPDATE @ 7:42 p.m. June 14:

A Versailles couple struck by an antique Ford tractor that went out of control Saturday morning during the Poultry Days parade remains at Miami Valley Hospital.

Kathy Hamilton was listed in critical condition, and her husband in fair condition this evening, according to a spokeswoman from the Dayton hospital.

UPDATE @ 10:38 p.m. June 13:

The driver of the antique Ford tractor that went out of control and sent a Versailles couple and their two grandchildren to area hospitals has been identified by police as 82-year-old Elbert Wilhelm of Piqua. He was not injured.

Spectators Tom and Kathy Hamilton of Versailles are both in stable condition at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, and their two grandchildren have been treated and released from Dayton Children’s Hospital.

Wilhelm was a regular in the Versailles Poultry Days parade, for as many as 20 years, according to a festival spokesman.

No citations have been issued, and the accident is under investigation.

UPDATE @ 1:30 p.m.

According to Patrolman Frank Maus, an antique Ford tractor, driven by a man from Piqua, went out of control and onto the sidewalk into the crowd watching the parade go by.

At least four people were injured, including two children.

No charges have been filed and the crash remains under investigation.

According to Poultry Days Spokesman Eric Stachler, this is the first such accident in the festival’s 64-year history.

UPDATE @ 1 p.m.

Witnesses tell WHIO’s Steve Baker that the crash happened when a man lost control of a tractor.

His foot slipped off the clutch and the tractor drove into the crowd, according to witnesses.

The parade finished after being rerouted around the crash.

EARLIER

CareFlight and multiple medic crews were called after a crash in front of Kaup Pharmacy in Versailles.

The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. in the zero to 100 block of West Main Street.

Witnesses tell NewsCenter 7 the crash involved a tractor that was participating in the Poultry Days parade.

Scanner traffic indicated four people were injured, including two children.

CareFlight was called and landed at the Darke County airport to transport one or more patients.