Tractor Crushes Man to Death at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett

Joshua Levine, 35, of Sag Harbor, was crushed to death by a tractor he was working with at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett on Tuesday at about 11:30 a.m.

Levine was an active employee of the , an East End organization dedicated to help farmers, landowners and municipalities maintain the natural resources of Long Island. Quail Hill Farm is one of several properties under the umbrella of the Peconic Land Trust, which also has headquarters in Cutchogue.

East Hampton Town police Detective Lt. Chris Anderson said on Tuesday afternoon outside of Quail Hill that Levine, who was the Quail Hill Market manager, ended up underneath one of the rear wheels of the Case International tractor.

"It's a matter of how he got there," he said, adding that the department is investigating exactly where the victim was when working with the tractor.

"We're going to be looking into, clearly, whether there was human error involved, mechanical malfunction, maybe a combination of both," Anderson said. There were witnesses to the accident.

The Amagansett Fire Department's ambulance and heavy rescue squad were called to the accident, but the man was pronounced dead at the farm.

"Despite the efforts of fellow employees, Mr. Levine was unable to be extricated," according to a statement from Detective Sgt. Robert Gurney on Tuesday evening.

The heavy rescue squad stood by while the town police waited for the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's office to arrive. The ME will conduct an autopsy.

John Chavez, a spokesman with the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, confirmed the agency is also investigating the fatality.

The tractor was taken away on the back of a town police flatbed tow truck. Anderson said the tractor will be inspected to see if it was in working order.

Quail Hill is a farm on Old Stone Highway under the stewardship of the Peconic Land Trust. 

"Since it was established in 1990, Quail Hill Farm has grown to 30 acres serving 200 families, as well as provides produce to a local school, nearby restaurants, a farmers market, and food pantries," according to the land trust's website. 

John v.H. Halsey, the president of the Peconic Land Trust said in a statement released on Tuesday night that the organization was "deeply saddened by today's tragic loss, and our heartfelt sympathies go out to Josh's family and friends." 

He said Levine had been with Quail Hill for three years. He first volunteered there in 2008, then become a member of the summer apprentice program the following year.

"Josh's enthusiasm for farming and the Quail Hill community prompted his decision to stay on at the farm and to ultimately join the organization as a full-time staff member in the spring of 2010," Halsey said.

Due to the tragic circumstances, the Peconic Land Trust is cancelling its holiday party, scheduled for Friday.