The death of a 27-year-old Columbia man in a lawnmower accident last week underscored the rare but real danger of simply cutting the grass.

Every year, an average of 95 people die and 37,000 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries caused by riding mower accidents, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

In fact, the commission says fatal injuries in riding mower accidents nearly always follow a chain of events similar to those that police say killed Cerelino Baltazar-Avila, 27, of the 8800 block of Tamar Drive, Aug. 12: A person falls from the mower and is run over by the machine.

In Baltazar-Avila's death, he was riding a mower in the county's Annapolis Junction area, near Jessup, when he apparently lost control of the mower, fell down a steep embankment and became pinned underneath the mower, police said.

Baltazar-Avila was working for Premier Lawn Services, based in West Friendship, and was mowing a commercial property in the 9000 block of Junction Drive, when police believe he lost control of the mower and fell down a 10-foot embankment.

An employee of a nearby business was on a break at approximately 2 p.m. that day when he discovered Baltazar-Avila and called 911, police said.

Police say they do not know how long Baltazar-Avila had been injured when he was discovered.

Police and Howard County Fire and Rescue workers responded to find Baltazar-Avila pinned beneath a mower, police said.

He was transported by ambulance to Howard County General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 3 p.m. The cause of death was determined to be "multiple injuries," a police spokeswoman said.

Premier Lawn Services did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Slopes often a factor

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, slopes are a major factor in causing "tip-over" accidents that result in severe injury or death.

The commission says riding mower operators should mow up and down slopes, not across; choose a low ground speed; avoid stopping, starting or turning on a slope; and never attempt to mow a slope that is so steep that the mower cannot back up.

The commission also says riding mower operators need to be very careful around children and should never allow children to ride the mower.

Commission spokeswoman Patty Davis said consumers should always look to make sure a lawnmower is certified before purchasing it.

"The most important thing is to get a mower that meets the latest industry standards, such as a safety device that stops the blades if the operator leaves the control position," Davis said. "You want your mower to have a label that says it's certified. The safety features are in place for a reason."

Howard County police spokeswoman Elizabeth Schroen said officers have closed their investigation into Baltazar-Avila's death, ruling it accidental.

However, Schroen said the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing to investigate to see if "anything dealing with the job site might have contributed" to Baltazar-Avila's death.

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