Texas Farmer Killed, Basically "Shredded" by Bees

A Texas farmer was killed by a swarm of bees when he accidentally ran over a beehive.

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Complex Original

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Gawker reports that a man was killed by a swarm of bees in Lorenzo, TexasRogerio Zuniga, a third-generation farmer, accidentally hit an old irrigation pipe with his tractor when he was out plowing the field. Unfortunately, the pipe contained a 15- to 20-foot honeycomb, and when he disturbed the hive, the bees fatally attacked him.

"He had gaping wounds. The bees shredded him, basically," Rogerio's sister, Lisa Zuniga, told KGBT. "It was horrible."

San Benito Fire Department Chief Raul R. Zuniga Jr. told ABC News that Rogerio "jumped off the tractor and ran about 100 yards away from the swarm before he collapsed in the field." Raul is also Rogerio's cousin.

By the time his family noticed his empty tractor seat and found his body in the brush, it was covered in bees, said Raul. 

"We got help from the county and an exterminator, but we broke the concrete pipe to get into it. The thing was just filled with bees," said Raul. The swarm of bees continued while it took the crew nearly four hours to clean up.

Rogerio's neighbor, Rosa Garcia told KGBT, "I got scared because I live here by myself and I get scared because when my grandkids come, they like to play outside, and I don't know what could be in the trees outside or anywhere."

Lisa said she hopes county officials will step in to prevent another accident like this one. 

[via GawkerKGBT and ABC News]

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