(Deer Park - WABC, June 12, 2007) - A landscaper was killed in a freak accident in Deer Park Tuesday when he fell into a cesspool. His lawn mower fell on top of him.

Eyewitness News reporter Tim Fleischer has the story.
One minute, the landscaper was cutting grass. And the next, he fell into a cesspool and disappeared. Police describe it as a tragic accident that cost him his life.

"He was a good father," Jose Reyes said

Reyes was in shock after his cousin, 34-year old Sergio Reyes, suddenly fell into a cesspool while cutting grass at a home.

"The cesspool had collapsed," Suffolk Detective Sergeant Paul Dodorico said. "He fell in the hole, and the machine fell back onto him, pinning his chest against the back wall."

Police say Sergio had been riding a 36-inch standard mower, which he stood up on, when he made a right turn.

"It looks like he turned right where the lid would've been, and that's when it collapsed and he went down," Dodorico said.

When other workers didn't seen him, they went to the back yard. They say they spotted the machine sticking partially out of the cesspool. Sergio was pulled out and rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he died.

Jose Reyes tearfully described him as a good family man.

"I'm sorry for him, I'm really sorry for him," home improvement worker Raymond Dandrade said.

Others like Dandrade, who work around homes and yards, believe it is always to best to first look around for any possible dangers.

"The first thing, you go in a yard, you gotta look for is the cesspool," Dandrade said. "You know you're working in a yard, you don't know how old is the building, how old is the cesspool. So you gotta go and you survey first."

But tragically, unseen dangers cost Sergio Reyes his life.