A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Woman Injured in Punkin Chunkin Accident Still in Critical Condition

Punkin Chunkin Website

The woman injured when a Punkin Chunkin machine came apart on Sunday is still in critical condition at the Christiana Medical Center.

Some of those at the event told WBOC that the 39 year old woman worked for a production company that was filming Punkin Chunkin.

Police say that she was hit in the head and face.

Meanwhile, a 56 year old man injured in the incident was treated and released from the Nanticoke Memorial Hospital.

The incident took place at 2:45 on Sunday afternoon when the trapdoor of the device separated as the pumpkin was launched into the air.

Will Schell,, the operator of the machine called the Pumpkin Reaper, has been described by family members as being very distraught.

The Delaware State Police and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control are investigating the incident.  

Punkin Chunkin contest had been on hiatus for two years because of 2013 lawsuit filed by a former volunteer who spotted the distance the pumpkins flew at Wheatley Farms.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.