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Mower slips into pond, landscaper drowns

Daniel L. Earnhardt was pulled from a pond behind the Bayou Club golf course in Pinellas Park.

By LAUREN BAYNE ANDERSON
Published June 9, 2005

Daniel L. Earnhardt sold auto parts with his father for years, but finally found his passion a few years ago in landscaping.

He started his own business, Viper Lawn Care, and landed a contract to cut the grass at some homes at the Bayou Club Estates, a gated community of luxury homes in Pinellas Park.

Earnhardt, 56, died doing what he loved Thursday morning: cutting grass. His riding lawn mower slipped into a large pond adjoining the backyard with the Bayou Club golf course on Belcher Road.

Workers from the golf course saw a wheel from the lawn mower sticking out of the pond and went to investigate. They found Earnhardt, pulled him from the pond and began CPR.

Earnhardt, of 2235 Burlington Ave. N, St. Petersburg, was transported to St. Petersburg General Hospital, where he died.

It was his first day using a newly purchased machine.

"He had just gotten this lawn mower, he was so excited," said his wife, Sylvia Earnhardt. "He just really loved his work very much." Sheriff's department spokesman Mac McMullen said it's unclear what caused Earnhardt to lose control of the machine but noted the area where he was cutting grass is on a steep incline. The accident is under investigation.

Gloria Finn lives next door to the property where the accident took place. She said community members will be disappointed with the news. Earnhardt's company began cutting the grass in the neighborhood less than a year ago, she said.

"We've been very pleased with what they've done," she said of his company. "We're upset that this has happened, because it means we have to start all over."

Sylvia Earnhardt said her family is shocked by his sudden death.

"We're all stunned, I just wasn't expecting anything like this," she said. "He was such a good person and everyone liked him."

[Last modified June 9, 2005, 20:17:24]