Man killed when pinned under car at Pilsen

Lavern Stika, 84, Herington, died Wedneday after he was pinned underneath his car at a house he owned north of Pilsen on Remington Rd.

Dispatchers received a call around 1:55 p.m. from his daughter, Brenda Bernhardt, and grandson, Dane Berhardt.

They had gone to the house to check on him after they were unable to reach him by phone.

Dane had to put the car in park and turn it off, a coroner’s report stated. Marion firefighters had to lift the vehicle off Stika.

Deputy coroner Karen Larsen placed the time of death at 11:30 a.m. The cause was determined to be traumatic asphyxiation secondary to a crush injury.

“It was determined to be accidental,” Undersheriff Larry Starkey said. “As far as how he actually came to be in front of the car, nobody knows that because nobody saw it.”