Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Weekly Toll: Death In The American Workplace

Ramsey man dies in accidental death

MN - On Tuesday, Aug. 21, Randall L. Puppe, 56, of Ramsey was cleaning a machine at TCR Engineered Components in Brooklyn Center, when he was caught in the machine and died, Police Lt. Scott Nadeau said. According to the Star Tribune, Nadeau said police and the state Occupational Safety and Health division are investigating. Puppe was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 10 p.m. His accidental death was caused by mechanical strangulation and from blunt-force injuries, the Hennepin County medical examiner’s office said.


Worker dies in Greenfield plant accident

Greenfield, IN - A worker at an automotive supply plant was crushed to death early Monday when she became wedged inside a bolt-plating machine she apparently reached inside for a piece of paper, the coroner said. Suzanne Wyatt, 47, of Greenfield died in the 4:10 a.m. accident at Indiana Automotive Fasteners Inc., which makes bolts and other types of fasteners for Toyota, Ford, Honda and Takata Corp. Hancock County Coroner John Jester said Wyatt, who operated a zinc coater, apparently reached into the bolt-plating machine and was pinned when another piece of equipment came down on top of her with crushing force. "It's just a freak accident," he said.


Worker dies at fairgrounds

WELLINGTON, OH -- Jill Stafford, 39, of 120 Morton St., Jackson, was found deceased at 11:30 a.m. yesterday in a small trailer at the fairgrounds, according to Lorain County Coroner Dr. Paul Matus. She was an employee of Bates Amusement, the company which provides rides at the fair. Stafford was found by her daughter, who is also an employee of the company. Matus said the death is under investigation. He said there was no sign of foul play at the scene. He is awaiting the results of toxicology tests. Jackson is 70 miles south of Columbus.


City gas station worker fatally shot

MD - A gas station attendant was shot and killed in Baltimore early this morning, but few details are available about the man or his death. The man was killed at a Texaco gas station in the 2600 block of Gwynns Falls Parkway shortly after 2 a.m., police said. The owner of the gas station declined to comment this morning and did not release the name of the man who was killed.


Deli Clerk Shot, Killed During Robbery

PITTSBURGH -- A homicide suspect is still on the run while a $10,000 reward for his capture is offered. Jamal Mouzaffar, 28, was shot in the chest during a robbery at the A and E Deli Food Mart in Mt. Oliver on Sunday morning. A co-worker told Channel 11 Mouzaffar was the store owner's nephew. According to the Post-Gazette, the victim was just weeks away from returning to his native Syria, after undergoing medical treatment in Pittsburgh. One regular customer said she is sad tragedy struck such a kind family. Loretta Vertullo said, "Little kids didn't have enough change, you know, buying candy or gum and they would give them, let them go, say, ‘Don't worry about it.’ They were very nice people in there and for this to happen, it breaks my heart because they were very nice people." The robber fled the store around 9 a.m. and ran down Arlington Avenue. The $10,000 reward is being offered by an anonymous donor. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.


Man Dies From Deltic Timber Fire

Waldo, LA - Darrell Richards of Junction City was among three workers injured in the August 9th blaze. After the fire, Richards was taken to The Burn Center in Memphis. He died Friday. The other two workers, Andy Emerson of Taylor and Billy Pope of Springhill, Louisiana remain in serious condition at Louisiana State University Hospital in Shreveport. The fire broke out in the planer section of the mill where boards are cut to uniform sizes. The mill has 175 workers, and opened in 1973. Deltic Timber is based in El Dorado, and owns more than 400,000 acres of timberland in Arkansas and Louisiana.


ODNR officer dies in head on car crash

PORTAGE COUNTY, OH - The Ravenna Post of the Ohio State Patrol is investigating a fatal weekend crash that claimed the life of a Ohio Division of Natural Resources ranger. Troopers say 38-year-old Donavan Svab of Mantua died early Sunday morning after his car was hit head on by a driver who went left of center. Svab worked as a full time ranger for ODNR and also as a part time officer for the Garrettsville Police Department. A police spokesman says Svab was on his way home at the time of the crash. Troopers say Svab was driving north on Diagonal Road when a car going south went across the center line about a quarter mile north of Frost Road. The impact caused Svab's car to roll over and it ended up on its roof in a ditch. The other driver, identified as 22-year-old Christopher Jones of Kent, was trapped in the wreckage for an hour.



Bremerton, WA, public works employee dead

BREMERTON, Wash. - A public works employee in Bremerton has died after being run over by a vehicle on a municipal repaving project. Officials say 58-year-old Dean Westcott was with a street crew preparing for the work when he was struck, apparently by a government vehicle that was backing up. Police say Wednesday morning's accident is under investigation. Westcott was a 10-year municipal employee and a U.S. Navy veteran.


Security Guard Dies After Shot During Robbery

HOUSTON, TX -- A security guard died after he was shot during a robbery in southwest Houston, officials told KPRC Local 2. Houston police said the guard was shot in the leg at a business in the 6500 block of West Bellfort Street at about 5 a.m. Sunday. The gunmen entered the business, assaulted the guard and shot him before an employee was robbed at gunpoint, officials said. The guard was transported to Ben Taub Hospital, where he died. His identity was not released. Police said the gunmen got away with a large amount of cash. They were described as black and in their early 20s.


Auto shop employee dies in workplace accident

SUMMERSVILLE, WV — An auto shop worker has died after being pinned between a customer’s vehicle and a toolbox, police said. Another employee was being evaluated Thursday morning at Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital. Police said Richard Nelson, 56, of Canvas, was getting ready to have his sport-utility vehicle inspected at Scotty’s Discount Tire and Muffler Shop Wednesday afternoon when his foot slipped off the brake. Nelson apparently hit the accelerator and the vehicle struck Kenneth Rogers, 36, and Harry Rogers, 54. Kenneth Rogers was pinned against the toolbox and killed. Harry Rogers was taken to the hospital.


Gunshot kills Overland Park convenience store clerk

MO - A man working at an Overland Park convenience store to support his family in Mexico was found dead near the business’ open cash register Tuesday morning. The 46-year-old clerk, whom police have not yet named, opened Latin-O Market at Metcalf Avenue and 105th Street about 9 a.m. At 11 a.m., a customer found him on the floor of the store and ran to the deli next door. “He said, ‘The guy working next door is on the ground. I think something happened to him,’ ” said Ricardo Calderon, manager of the deli next door. He said, ‘The guy working next door is on the ground. I think something happened to him,’ ” said Ricardo Calderon, manager of the deli. Calderon then went to check on the man he’s come to know in the past year. “There was lots of money all over the floor. He was just lying there. … I couldn’t find a pulse.” When officers responded they found the man on the ground, dead from a gunshot wound. Officer Matt Bregel, an Overland Park police spokesman, wouldn’t say where the clerk was shot.


Bar worker shot to death

TRENTON, NJ -- A dispute over a karaoke machine inside a bar in South Trenton led to a shooting yesterday that left a bar employee dead and a Philadelphia teenager in critical condition, police said. The city's 17th homicide of the year -- and third in five days -- occurred at 12:35 a.m. in front of the M&M Bar and Liquor Store at Centre and Federal streets. No arrests had been made as of yesterday. Police say they are looking for an unknown gunman. As city police braced for gang violence late Monday into early yesterday, stemming from a previous night of gang shootings that included the murder of an East Trenton gang leader, the call of "shots fired/man down" in the 400 block of Centre Street caused police on the streets to shudder, officers said. ut by later yesterday morning, city detectives said they believed the murder of Jose Almonte-Duran, 28, in front of the M&M was another senseless killing apparently unrelated to gangs. Almonte-Duran was working inside the bar -- detectives could not explain exactly what his job was -- and confronted then ejected a man who grabbed a karaoke microphone and started a ruckus, police Detective Lt. Stephen Varn said.


Construction worker collapses, dies; heat suspected

PORTLAND, Tenn. - Investigators believe extreme heat is partly to blame for the death of a construction worker who collapsed in a small room where he was hanging drywall. Charles Brown Jr., 29, was working in a small closet area with no ventilation, and the temperature was "horribly warm," Assistant Police Chief Richard Smith told The Tennessean. Temperatures across Tennessee have dipped slightly from weeks of triple digits, and it was not immediately clear how much the outside climate affected the stifling room where Brown was working. Brown's co-workers first thought he was sleeping when they found him on the floor Tuesday afternoon, but then called authorities when they realized he was suffering a health problem. "When we found him, he had both arms clutched over his chest," Smith said. "He probably had a heart attack related to the heat." Smith said Brown had unspecified medical conditions that may have contributed to his death. A toxicology screening was being conducted. Fifteen people in Tennessee, including 14 in Shelby County, have died of heat-related causes in August's scorching heat wave. At least three more, including Brown, are suspected to have died from heat-related causes.


Siemens looks at excessive blade speed in tower fall

Portland, OR - Preliminary findings seem to move suspicion away from a structural problem. Rapidly turning turbine blades might have contributed to the buckling of the massive wind tower that killed one worker and injured another at the Klondike III wind farm Saturday, officials of Siemens Power Generation said Tuesday. "An overspeed operation may have occurred while performing a sequence of procedures," said Melanie Forbrick, a spokeswoman for the German turbine maker. Siemens declined to provide further details about how the blades might have begun turning at excessive speeds or whether inspection procedures may have stressed the system enough to collapse the steel tower. If the preliminary findings hold, they would move attention away from possible flaws in the tower itself. Chadd Mitchell, 35, of Goldendale, Wash., a Siemens employee, was working at the top of the 231-foot tower when it buckled. The rotor and the nacelle, which houses the drive train and generator, crashed to the ground. Mitchell died in the fall.


Identity of construction worker killed at Malmstrom released

MT - The construction worker who was killed in an accident at Malmstrom Air Force Base has been identified as Kelly Carpenter, 24, from Walkerville. He was working as an Apprentice Operator for Garco Construction when he was crushed between the frame and tire of a crane. This is the second work-related fatal accident at a Garco Construction site in the last year. Garco President Tim Welsh says work at the site has stopped, probably for the rest of the week. "We have to be vigilant. We have to watch for pinch points, we have to observe block out, tag out procedures. We have to do all the things and we talk about that every week ."


Driver Killed in I-65 Truck Fire Identified

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. - Indiana State Police are investigating a deadly and fiery crash on the interstate. It happened just before 5:00 Wednesday evening on I-65 between Franklin and Edinburgh. According to State Police, the truck struck a guardrail and burst into flames. The driver of the truck was killed. He has been identified as 59-year-old Edward T. Zick of Fountain Inn, South Carolina. Flames could be seen shooting out of the cab and black smoked filled the air at the time of the accident. The fire caused police to close the southbound I-65 lanes between Indiana 44 and Indiana 252.



Marshfield man dies after being run over by truck at logging site

CENTERVILLE, Maine - A 64-year-old Marshfield man died Wednesday afternoon in an accident at a remote logging site. Kenneth Schoppee, an employee of Guptill Logging in East Machias, was run over by a maintenance truck at about 12:42 p.m. and suffered head and chest injuries, according to Sgt. Rodney Merritt of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department. Schoppee died at the scene of the accident, despite the efforts of co-workers to revive him. The accident remains under investigation, and Merritt said investigators are looking into the possibility that some outside issues may have prevented Schoppee from getting out of the way of the truck.


Police hunt robbers who gunned down Sunrise gas station clerk

SUNRISE, FL - Police are seeking clues in Thursday's shooting death of a convenience store clerk who recently started the night shift and was known by friends as a hard worker who regularly sent money home to relatives in Trinidad. Terrance Rakish Thomas, 24, died in a pool of blood behind the counter at a Mobil gas station, at 5990 W. Oakland Park Blvd., after he was shot several times, police said. A customer who walked in saw Thomas lying face down on the floor and called 911 at 12:51 a.m., said police Lt. Robert Voss. Police could not estimate how long Thomas had been on the floor before the customer entered. video


Worker dies in fall from Salem roof

SALEM, MA — A worker died Friday morning after falling from a roof on Lafayette Street. The employee of Olympic Paint and Roofing of Peabody died after he fell off the roof of 292 Lafayette St., the new home of the First Baptist Church of Salem. The accident was reported at 8:53 a.m. "It appears he was a 21-year-old male and he passed away," said Police Lt. Paul Lemelin. "He was one of the workers on the roof." A work crew was removing old slate tiles and replacing them with shingles, according to officials at the scene. A Medflight helicopter arrived to transport the accident victim to a Boston hospital, but it was not needed, police said. "He never made it to the Medflight," said Detective James Page.


Worker accidentally kills himself with power saw

NY — Rochester police are investigating an incident in which a utility worker accidentally killed himself with a power saw. According to Rochester Police Sgt. William Spath, the call to North Clinton Avenue and Hoeltzer Street was reported about 1:30 p.m. today. The man, who was a utility contractor, was cutting through a plastic pipe with a power saw. The saw kicked back and cut him in the neck. He was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Spath said police confirmed it was an accident and the incident has been reported to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration.


Policeman riding with Bush motorcade dies

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – President praises service of officer in Albuquerque crash. A Rio Rancho police officer died Monday after crashing his motorcycle while riding in a motorcade as President Bush prepared to leave the city following a fundraiser for Sen. Pete Domenici. Officer Germaine Casey, 40, was rushed to an Albuquerque hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The motorcycle was near the front of the motorcade, and the president saw the wreck as he drove past on the way to the airport, said Officer John Francis, a Rio Rancho police spokesman.


L&I investigates own worker's death

Fl - The Department of Labor and Industries, which investigates the deaths of workers in other companies and agencies, is now looking into the death of one of its own. Bill Harmon of Lakewood, an office assistant in the Employer Services division, was injured in the first-floor stairwell of the agency's headquarters last week, according to the department. He was taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, where he died. Harmon was 87. "Although there were no witnesses to this unfortunate situation, L&I employees heard the sounds of a fall and responded immediately. They called 9-1-1, notified building security, and took action to block the area. In addition, a number of L&I staff went to the hospital to show their support for the family," said department director Judy Schurke in a message to staff.


Simplot Worker Dies After Accident at Pocatello Plant

The worker at the Simplot Plant in Pocatello who was burned in a sulfur accident has died. Frank Rowberry died Wednesday night at 8:00 P.M. at the University of Utah Burn Center. Rowberry was working alone in one of the sulfur unloading areas when somehow, the sulfur ignited his clothes. The 35 year employee was burned over 50 percent of his body. Safety inspectors spent Wednesday on the scene investigating the accident. They are meeting today to discuss their findings. The immediate area where Rowberry was burned is closed off, but it is not affecting the plant's day to day operations.




Truck crash kills driver, shuts down I-65


IN - The driver of a box truck was killed Wednesday when the vehicle crashed on I-65 in Johnson County. The crash was reported at 4:48 p.m. Wednesday at the 85-mile marker on I-65, midway between Franklin and Whiteland. According to Indiana State Police, the southbound truck crashed into a guardrail and burned, killing the driver. The interstate was closed in both directions after the crash and did not completely reopen until nearly 9 p.m. Troopers still were trying to determine the cause of the crash, and the name of the person killed was not immediately released.


Worker dies after falling from Valley Road condo tower

NJ - A 26-year-old roofer working atop 530 Valley Road fell off the seven-story building and died on Thursday morning, Aug. 30, police said. Victor Coelho of Roselle Park was with three other workers finishing the edges of the roof on the Bellaire House condominiums, near the corner of Valley Road and Preston Place, when he fell, according to police. “This is a tragic and unfortunate incident for the Coelho family and loved ones,” stated Montclair Police Lt. James Carlucci. An autopsy was performed later that afternoon, but police did not immediately release the results. Montclair authorities called the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office at 8:50 a.m. to say Coelho’s death appeared to be accidental, and they would not be needing assistance with the investigation, said Paul Loriquet, a spokesman for the prosecutor.


Man arrested in Mich. indicted in Ohio trucking company killings

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — A man accused of killing two people at a trucking company has been indicted on two counts of aggravated murder. If convicted, 43-year-old Calvin Neyland Jr. could face the death penalty or life in prison with no chance for parole. His indictment came Wednesday from a Wood County grand jury in Bowling Green. Neyland is accused of gunning down Liberty Transportation manager Doug Smith and Thomas Lazar, an employee of the company brought in from Pennsylvania to help fire Neyland Aug. 7. Neyland was arrested about three hours after the shooting in a motel parking lot in Monroe County, Mich., about 15 miles north of the trucking office in Perrysburg Township.


One Dead and Two Wounded in Bronx Shooting

NY - A man who was fired from his job as a janitor in Co-op City in the Bronx and lost a lawsuit to get his job back returned to the housing complex this morning with a .38-caliber revolver and shot three former colleagues, one of them fatally, according to the police.The police said the gunman, Paulino Valenzuela, 50, then boarded a public bus, went to the Bronx Criminal Court building and turned himself in to the authorities. Mr. Valenzuela, of 120 Casals Place in the Bronx, was fired from the RiverBay Corporation, the management company that runs Co-op City, in 2005. Last year, he filed a federal lawsuit to get his job back. The case was dismissed on Friday. Before he was fired, Mr. Valenzuela had been suspended three times since 2000 for threatening co-workers. According to the Police Department, Mr. Valenzuela fatally shot a RiverBay supervisor, Audley Bent, 49, of Rosedale, Queens, in the basement of 2440 Hunter Avenue, at 7:50 a.m.


Man killed by lightning bolt at Motiva dock

PORT ARTHUR, TX — A 25-year-old Mississippi man was killed Wednesday morning after being struck by a bolt of lightning while aboard a vessel at the Motiva Port Arthur dock. The young man is identified as Brandon Jenkins. Walter Blessy, owner of Blessy Marine, a contracting company with Motiva, said the Jenkins was working on the vessel Charles Clark when the lightning struck him around 11 a.m. Jenkins transported by ambulance to Christus St. Mary Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Blessy said Jenkins is divorced and has two small children. He had only been employed with Blessy Marine for a short time as a tankerman trainee.


Crown Point man killed in work accident

EAST CHICAGO, IL A Crown Point man was killed in a rail yard accident early Saturday morning when he was struck by a train. Henry Salinas, 43, of 8172 Ralston Court, Crown Point, a railroad employee, died of blunt force trauma to the torso when he was struck by a moving rail car, according to the Lake County coroner's office. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:12 a.m. at 3828 Michigan Ave., East Chicago.


Worker dies in gravel pit fall

UNION TWP. – Police in this Clermont County township are investigating after a worker fell into a gravel pit and died this afternoon. Around 1 p.m., a caller told police the man fell and was unconscious at Evans Gravel Co. on U.S. 50. When officers and firefighters arrived, the man (Pat Kelley, 41) was pronounced dead at the scene. The man, who is either an employee for Evans or a subcontractor, is believed to have been working on pipes above the gravel pit when he fell. No foul play is suspected and the incident is believed to be accidental, police said. His name has not been released pending notification of family.


Longtime resident Bill Araujo killed in industrial accident

LYNWOOD, CA — The city this week lost a longtime resident to an industrial accident. William Araujo, a two-time Planning Commissioner died on Sunday. He was 63. A resident of Lynwood since 1977, Araujo was an advocate for education and almost realized his lifelong dream of opening his own business with his wife’s Tortilleria del Pueblo on Atlantic Boulevard. That business was scheduled to open next month, or very soon, said his daughter, Deborah Garcia. While he has operated a smaller version of his business at Plaza Mexico for the past year, opening up his own business in his own location, was something he’s been working toward all his life, Garcia said in an interview on Wednesday afternoon. “It was something he got from his dad, from my grandfather, his dream was my grandfather’s dream, too,” she said.


Trucker killed in Adair County crash

STILWELL, OK — An Arkansas truck driver was killed when his tractor-trailer rig slammed into the back of another truck and overturned on an Adair County road. David K. Humphrey, 40, of DeQueen, Ark., died at the scene of the crash shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday, about 14 miles southwest of Stilwell, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said. Troopers said Humphrey's truck was behind one driven by Robert N. Larue, 47, of Muse as the vehicles were going down a long, steep hill loaded with gravel. As they approached a "T” intersection, Larue slowed to make a right-hand turn and Humphrey's truck struck the back of his vehicle.


Flint police mourn officer killed in crash

FLINT, MI -- Vincent D'Anna spent four years putting lawn mowers together before his dream came true -- the dream of becoming a police officer in a busy city. D'Anna, 26, of Goodrich realized that goal last year when he pinned on a Flint Police Department badge and went to work patrolling the streets. Now, his fellow officers are mourning his death. D'Anna died after his motorcycle was struck from behind by a Camaro on Sashabaw Road outside the DTE Energy Music Theater in Independence Township about 8 p.m. Sunday. The off-duty officer was pinned under the car and dragged several feet before the driver allegedly jumped out and tried to run from the scene.


Worker at Eastern Oregon wind farm killed

OR — A wind turbine tower crashed to the ground at a wind farm east of The Dalles, killing one worker and injuring another, Sherman County authorities said. Sheriff’s Deputy Geremy Shull said the collapse occurred Saturday afternoon. He declined to release the names of the workers, but said the man who died was from Goldendale, Wash. The injured worker was in serious condition at a hospital in The Dalles, Shull said. A third worker was not hurt. Shull said the cause of the collapse had not been determined. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating Sunday. Portland-based PPM Energy owns the wind farm, but Siemens manufactures and owns the wind turbine tower that collapsed. Melanie Forbrick, a Siemens spokeswoman based in Orlando, Fla., said the turbine had been in operation for 500 hours and the workers were doing a routine inspection. She said the worker who died was at the top of the tower when it collapsed. She the injured man was inside it. The worker who escaped injury was at the base. Araujo died in an industrial accident at the Firestone plant where he has worked for more than 20 years. Prior to his job there, he was in the food industry, Garcia said.


Cab driver killed in attack

NY - Cabbie may be latest victim in a rash of robberies in city’s North End. A rash of armed robberies in the city’s North End may have left a Falls cab driver dead and sent shockwaves through the Cataract City’s cabbie community. Thomas Zacher, 55, a driver for Blue Taxi company, died Monday afternoon at the Erie County Medical Center after being shot in the back of the head early Monday morning in the 1800 block of Linwood Avenue.


Farmer dies in grain bin accident

BARGERSVILLE, Ind. - An 80-year-old Johnson County farmer died when he apparently fell into a grain bin filled with corn. Fire officials say
Richard Henderson
fell while working on the bin with his son. He was dead when rescuers reached him after an hour of digging through the grain. Rescuers cut open the walls of the bin so they could reach Henderson. About 8,000 bushels of corn were taken out of the bin. The incident was reported about 9:45 a.m. on the farm near Bargersville, about 5 miles south of Indianapolis.


Woman, 47, killed in workplace accident

GREENFIELD, Ind. -- Auto supply worker crushed to death by bolt-plating machine at plant in Greenfield. A worker at an automotive supply plant was crushed to death early Monday when she became wedged inside a bolt-plating machine after she apparently reached inside for a piece of paper, the Hancock County coroner said. Suzanne Wyatt, 47, Greenfield, died in the 4:10 a.m. accident at Indiana Automotive Fasteners, which makes bolts and other types of fasteners for Toyota, Ford, Honda and Takata Corp. Coroner John Jester said Wyatt, who operated a zinc coater, apparently reached into the bolt-plating machine and was pinned when another piece of equipment came down on top of her with crushing force. "It's just a freak accident," he said.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will conduct its own investigation into Wyatt's death, Jester said. After the accident, shaken workers were sent home for the day, said Kathleen Robbins, the plant's human resources manager. She said Wyatt was a well-liked employee and had worked at the factory for five years.


Second Man Dies From Injuries in Work Site Hit-and-Run

BURTONSVILLE, Md. -- A second construction worker has died from his injuries after a van slammed into five construction workers on Route 29. Montgomery County Police say 37-year-old James Cronin of Glen Burnie died Tuesday. On Monday, Cronin was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Police say the driver of the van, 31-year-old Manuel De Jesus Gonzalez-Geronimo, turned himself in at around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. Gonzalez-Geronimo, of Hyattsville, was charged with failure to immediately return and remain at the scene of a collision involving death, failure to immediately stop a vehicle at the scene of a collision involving bodily injury, and driving without a license. He is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Detention Center. Police say Gonzalez-Geronimo could face additional charges. Prosecutors say Gonzalez-Geronimo has also admitted to being in the country illegally for seven years. He is originally from Guatemala. Another construction worker, 30-year-old Martin Ruffin of Baltimore, was killed and three other men injured when the van plowed through a construction site. The accident occurred around 1 p.m. Monday when five construction workers were taking a break and sitting on a guardrail on northbound Route 29 -- north of Route 198 just before the Howard County line.


Police ID contractor killed in accident at Scituate Reservoir

SCITUATE, R.I. -- Police identify a worker killed at a water treatment plant in Scituate. He's 37-year-old Roger G. Coe, of Fall River, Massachusetts. Coe was injured when a piece of heavy equipment collapsed on him. He was taken to Kent Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police Captain David Randall says an autopsy is being done today. Scituate police say the man worked for Fall River-based Eastern Piping and Engineering, which was doing contract work for the Providence Water Supply Board. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.



Worker crushed to death in York, Machinery falls during repairs at Beckenbach USA plant

YORK -- A Spartanburg man was killed Monday when a piece of machinery fell on top of him at a York auto parts factory, authorities said. Around 11:30 a.m., Wade Scharff, 54, was repairing a piece of equipment at Beckenbach USA, in the East York Industrial Park, when a large, metal disc fell on top of him, said Interim York County Coroner Sabrina Gast. She said Scharff was trapped underneath the disc and died from injuries before help arrived. "He was pinned underneath the machine," Gast said. The official cause of death was multiple crush wounds, she said.


Gary officer dies after police cars collide in chase

IN - A 28-year-old Gary, Ind., police officer died Sunday after he crashed into another police car during a chase. Patrolman Benjamin Wilcher was chasing a suspect late Saturday when his vehicle collided with one driven by Patrolman Arthur Lemme at 35th Avenue and Virginia Street in Gary. Wilcher and Lemme were taken to the Methodist Hospitals in Gary before Wilcher was flown to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields, Ill. Wilcher did not survive the surgery to repair his broken bones and his internal injuries, the Cook County medical examiner's office said. Lemme remained at Methodist on Sunday evening in stable condition. The suspect being chased by Wilcher and Lemme was still at large, said Gary Lt. Del Stout. Wilcher, who lived in Gary with his wife and two children, joined the department two years ago, Stout said.


Accident blamed for mason's death

PA - A mason from Perry County was the victim of "an unfortunate industrial accident" last week when a scaffolding blew over and hit him on the head, killing him, Lower Swatara Twp. police said. Dwaine D. Lesher, 42, of Elliottsburg, was working for Kepler Masonry, a subcontractor working on a 45,000- square-foot expansion of the Phoenix Contact plant on Fulling Mill Road. Kepler masons were erecting scaffolding at the site when the wind picked up, toppling one of the scaffolds about 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to Lower Swatara Twp. police. David Kepler, the owner of the masonry company, told police Lesher wasn't able to get out of the way quickly enough.


Landscaper killed by lightning

FL - The storm clouds looked like they were miles in the distance as four landscapers worked Monday afternoon outside a Parkland home. Then, lightning seemed to come out of nowhere, killing one worker and making him the fifth person to die from a lightning strike in South Florida so far this year. Domingo Andres Francisco, 24, was operating a weed trimmer outside the house, in the 7100 block of Northwest 68th Drive, when the lightning bolt struck him at about 2:15 p.m., according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. Andres, of North Lauderdale, went into cardiac arrest while his co-workers rushed to tell the homeowner, who dialed 911. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later at North Broward Medical Center in Deerfield Beach. ''It probably killed him instantly,'' said Mike Jachles, a BSO spokesman. The investigation continues, while BSO waits for the results of an autopsy. After the accident, one of Andres' friends and co-workers, Francisco Cosdra, called his employer with the news. ''Francisco called me and told me there was a big problem,'' said David Beretsky, a co-owner of the landscaping company, AmeriLawn & Landscaping in Wellington. ``I got off the phone with him and called 911.''


Police find dead farmer and his tractor in river

CROWS LANDING, CA — An 84-year-old man died Monday near Moran and East Marshall roads while driving his tractor alongside the San Joaquin River. Paul J. Bernard told his wife around 10 a.m. that he was going to work on the farm, said deputy Royjindar Singh, a spokesman for the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department. Bernard was on a dirt road between his corn field and the river when the tractor plunged into the water. Sheriff's deputies received the call about the accident around 12:40 p.m. "He was a good man," Jesús Màrquez of Newman said in Spanish. Màrquez worked for Bernard, helping to irrigate his land, which Màrquez estimated spanned around 105 acres. It was too soon to determine the cause of Bernard's death, said Katie Soto, a Stanislaus County deputy coroner.


Bedford driver killed in wreck, ‘Richie’ Feathers described as avid outdoorsman.

HOBBIEVILLE, IN — A family man who spent a lot of time outdoors has died from injuries he suffered in a traffic accident Sunday. Richard E. “Richie” Feathers, 37, of Kentucky Hollow Road, died after his sport utility vehicle struck a tree in Greene County. “He loved hunting and was an outdoors- man,” said his stepmother, Ina Feathers. “He was a very kind, very polite young fellow.” Feathers graduated from Bedford North Lawrence High School in 1987. He was a laborer with the Laborers’ International Union of North America Local No. 741. “He was a very good worker, and everybody said he was a real hard worker,” said union field representative Bobby Minton. Feathers joined the union in 2005 and had worked for Reynolds Inc. and Midwest Underground. “He worked in the collector well division,” said Reynolds Superintendent Bud Landstrom. “He was very good at it.” Feathers worked with Reynolds about two years.


Lacey worker, 53, killed in accident at construction site

WA - A Lacey worker died Tuesday morning when he was struck with a bucket attached to an excavator at an outdoor construction site on the 4400 block of 163rd Avenue in the Tenino Fire District. Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock identified the man as Glen Davis, 53. Tenino Fire Capt. James Fowler said the industrial accident occurred about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday. An unidentified worker was operating the excavator, Fowler said. The state Department of Labor & Industries is investigating.


Teen killed in forklift accident

FL - A 16-year-old boy died Friday after being pinned by a forklift, according to West Valley City police. The teen's parents have been notified, but his name was not released as the investigation is ongoing, said Lt. Matt Elson. The boy was killed after the forklift he was operating tipped over, pinning him to the ground at 3:19 p.m., Elson said. He was attempting to move rolled up sheets of aluminum at Target Flexo, at 2203 W. Alexander St. (2420 South). "Apparently, he has worked there for several years," Elson said, noting that several of the boy's family members also work at the business. Police are investigating what caused the accident and whether the teen should have been operating the forklift. The teen died before police arrived on scene, Elson said. His body was taken by the Office of the Medical Examiner.


11-year-old killed in tractor accident

GARNETTA Kansas - Boy, 11, killed in tractor accident. Services were held Tuesday for an 11-year-old rural Garnett boy who died in a tractor accident. Anthony Adams, who lived with his grandparents, was driving an open-cab tractor at their residence about 1:30 p.m. Friday when he apparently jumped out, said Anderson County Sheriff Scot Brownrigg,. He got in the way of the rear tire and suffered massive trauma.


Man Killed While Doing Landscaping Work

OH - A man is killed while doing landscaping work in Ft. Thomas. A car struck Antonio Rodriguez-Ramirez, 54, Monday afternoon on Route 8 near Lester Lane. He was picking up trash in preparation for mowing in the area Tuesday. The driver that struck Rodriguez-Ramirez did stop. No charges have been filed. There was a double fatal accident at the same spot in 1996. Two teenagers were killed. A cross in their memory can be seen at the crash site.


ET Technology Park employee collapses, dies

OAK RIDGE — A 46-year-old employee at the East Tennessee Technology Park died today at the federal work site, officials confirmed. Mike Hughes, the president of Bechtel Jacobs Co., the governments’ cleanup manager at Oak Ridge, said he couldn’t provide details, but he said the man collapsed soon after reporting to work this morning. “It was nothing work-related,” Hughes said. “He worked in an air-conditioned trailer.” The man was an employee of Safety and Ecology Corp., a Knoxville-based company that provides radiological support services to Bechtel Jacobs, Hughes said. Hughes said on-site paramedics responded to the scene within two minutes, but were unable to revive the individual. The man was taken to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, Hughes said.


OSHA investigating fatal industrial accident

STATESVILLE, N.C. -- A man died Wednesday morning in what police are calling a manufacturing accident. Police were called to R.P. Machine Enterprises Inc. in Statesville shortly after 8 a.m. where Leonard Key, 62, was pronounced dead. Investigators said Key had been working at a lathe which was spinning a metal rod at high speed when that rod came loose and struck Key in the chest.


Worker crushed to death at metal fabrication shop

GASTONIA, N.C. - Authorities say a worker was crushed to death today at a metal fabrication shop in Gastonia. They say 23-year-old Cudiel Ambrocio VelazQuez of Bessemer City died at Porters Fabrication after being crushed by a piece of machinery. Gastonia Police Sergeant Mike Lari says the machine was a stacker that raises and lowers materials. Lari says VelazQuez was under it when it came down. It happened just before 6 a.m. this morning. VelazQuez was originally from Mexico, where his parents still reside.



Hillsborough deputy shot and killed in Brandon

BRANDON, FL – A Hillsborough County deputy is dead after he was shot inside his cruiser early Wednesday morning in Brandon, and investigators say the 22-year-old man suspected of killing him is also dead. Investigators say the shooting happened at about 1:30 a.m. near the intersection of Lumsden Road and Kings Avenue. They say Sergeant Ronald Harrison, 55, was in traffic inside his unmarked cruiser headed eastbound on Lumsden Road. As he made a turn onto north Kings Avenue, witnesses say they heard shots fired.


Construction worker is killed in fall

SAYREVILLE, NJ — A construction worker died when he fell from the Alfred E. Driscoll Bridge on Saturday morning. Thomas W. Oset, 45, of Manville was walking along a temporary walkway made of boards at about 8:30 a.m. when one of the boards broke, causing him to fall about 96 feet to the ground below, State Police said. Oset struck a concrete barrier on the ground below and was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:40 a.m. Workers had been resurfacing the Driscoll Bridge, said Joe Orlando, a spokesman for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.


Subcontractor Violated Safety Measures

HI - In March, a man fell more than 40 stories to his death. Now the state says subcontractor Permasteelisa will have to pay. Frank Montayre, 52, fell from a construction site on Kapiolani Boulevard. He was caulking a lanai on the 46th floor of the Moana Pacific Condominium, but he was not wearing a safety belt. The state investigated and found several violations. Several were related to fall protection, which covers a variety of measures. "Did it have a mid-railing, did it have side paneling to protect any employee from going over the edge, or through the openings within the lanai, or did they have the fall protection equipment? In this case it was lacking," said James Hardway, Occupational Safety and Health. Permasteelisa is a global design and construction company operating on four continents.


Prosser farmer dies in tractor accident

BENTON CITY, WA -- A longtime Prosser farmer died Wednesday when his tractor rolled on top of him while he was mowing in a vineyard near Benton City. Robert Smith, 57, got stuck in powdery dirt while turning a corner at the end of a row, authorities said. He got off the small tractor to put rocks under the tires for traction, but the tractor slipped and rolled on top of him. It is unknown whether he got back on the tractor before it rolled, or if he was working underneath when it tipped, said Benton County Sheriff's Deputy Joe Lusignan. Smith went out to mow about 10:30 a.m. and said he would return around noon, Lusignan said. Orchard manager Juvencio Garcia found Smith pinned under the tractor about 12:35 p.m. There were no witnesses to the accident, Lusignan said. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel, Lusignan said. The Benton County Coroner's Office will conduct an autopsy to confirm the cause of death. Smith co-owned the 170-acre S & R Smith Bros. orchard with his brother, Steve Smith.


Truck driver killed in accident on I-435 in Wyandotte County

IA - An Iowa tractor-trailer driver died Wednesday in a crash on northbound Interstate 435 in western Wyandotte County. The accident happened about 11:30 a.m. when a car struck the truck over the Metropolitan Avenue bridge, according to a Kansas Highway Patrol report. The collision sent the car and the tractor-trailer into the interstate bridge rail. The truck cab flipped over the rail and plunged into the concrete interstate embankment, igniting an intense fire that destroyed the vehicle. The rig’s trailer flipped and skidded about 100 feet and landed in the north lanes of I-435. The truck driver, Richard Anglen, 40, of Silver City, Iowa, was ejected during the crash. Anglen was airlifted to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The car, driven by John K. Nichols, 17, of Johnson County, bounced off Anglen’s vehicle and came to rest in a ditch. Troopers said Nichols suffered minor injuries, but a passenger in his car was not injured.


Two confirmed dead in fiery crash

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Two people were killed and an 11-mile section of Interstate 70 was closed after a semi-truck carrying chemicals crashed and exploded Wednesday, crippling an overpass in this western Colorado city. The Mesa County coroner's office said two bodies were recovered but declined to say whether they were found in the wreckage. The victims' names were not immediately released. One eastbound lane of I-70 was reopened by 12:30 p.m., nearly 10 hours after the crash. Other traffic was being rerouted on side roads. About 19,000 vehicles a day use the interstate in Grand Junction, 200 miles west of Denver. The truck was carrying 55-gallon drums of sodium hypochlorite, a form of bleach, along with commercial cleaning liquids and industrial hardware, police said.


Police find man dead in airport parking lot

CLEVELAND, OH - Police say a 19-year-old man was found dead tonight in a car at an employee parking lot near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Cleveland police Sergeant Daniel Fay says the man was slumped in the driver's seat of the car. Two pilots walking through the parking lot called police about 6 p.m. after noticing the man. Police and paramedics later found him dead. Fay says police saw injuries that could have led to his death but the cause of death is unclear. He says the dead man appears to be an airport employee. Police have not released the man's name because his family has not yet been notified.


Worker identified in fatality

KY - The Henderson County coroner's office has identified the man killed in Friday's construction accident as 52-year-old Larry E. Kincade of Smith Mills, Ky. Kincade died in the accident that occurred shortly after 2 p.m. near the Ohio River at the former Riverside Downs harness racetrack. Coroner Bruce Farmer said four men employed by M. Bowling Marine Co. were trying to remove a section of boom from a crane when two of the men were crushed underneath the part being disassembled. The second man was critically injured and transported to St. Mary's Medical Center in Evansville for treatment, Farmer said. Further information about his identity and condition were unavailable Saturday.


Man killed at SPI construction site

TX - A construction site accident on South Padre Island claimed the life of a Mercedes man Friday morning after a steel panel fell on him. Ishmael Garza, 20, was killed after a steel panel fell upon him and another worker at the Sapphire Condominiums high-rise development in the 300 block of Padre Boulevard, Justice of the Peace Bennie Ochoa III said. The accident was reported to South Padre Island police dispatch via a 911 call at 6:59 a.m., said SPI spokesman Jason Moody. Upon arrival, emergency personnel found two men on the ground in front of the construction site. A 20-year-old was beneath a steel panel, police said. They have not identified him as Garza. The other man, Garza’s brother, name unknown, was not injured.


Blaze in vacant New York skyscraper kills two firefighters

NEW YORK -- A multiple-alarm fire broke out Saturday in the vacant Deutsche Bank skyscraper at ground zero, killing two firefighters and injuring at least five others in the relic of the Sept. 11 attacks that was being dismantled. The firefighters that were hospitalized had smoke-related injuries that were not believed to be life threatening. They were among hundreds answering the multiple-alarm, high-rise fire as 87 fire units poured into ground zero all afternoon. The fire was still not under control at least seven hours after it began. The Deutsche Bank building had stood as a ghost since parts of the south tower of the World Trade Center came crashing down into it nearly six years ago, leaving it severely damaged and filled with toxic debris, including asbestos, dioxin, lead and chromium... One was identified as Joseph Graffagnino, 34, of Brooklyn, who had been with the force 8 years. The second firefighter was not identified as Robert Beddia, 53, of Staten Island. An official said he had been with the fire department 23 years and was the senior firefighter on the scene.

Police Investigate Fatal Construction Accident In Queens, State DOT Worker Killed, 3 Others Injured

NEW YORK -- Police are investigating an accident in Queens that killed a State Department of Transportation worker and injured three others. Police said two DOT workers were towing a construction light tower when it dislodged from their pick-up truck at around 9:20 p.m. on the westbound Grand Central Parkway near exit 22 in Hollis Hills. The workers were re-attaching the tower when another car hit them. One worker died at the scene. The other was taken to the hospital in serious condition. The two women in the car that hit the tower were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.


"Fair Employee's Death Likely Due To Heat"

TN - Just a day before it starts, the Wilson County Fair is dealing with a death. Workers believe a fellow employee lost his life while working in the extreme heat. It’s thought to be the first in the Mid-State and the first in the history of the Wilson County Fair. A 48-year-old man died while setting up a ride called the Scooter. “It’s horrible,” said fair employee Rob Vivona. “We are a family. We take care of everyone. It’s unfortunate.” The manager of the amusement company, Hale Moss, said they were bringing ice and water to the employees, but others said it’s just too hard to tell if you are getting overheated. “It just gets up on you, quicker than you expect,” Moss said. Most of the heavy work on the fairgrounds was finished by Wednesday afternoon, but employees were able to work during the night, when it was cooler.


Ramsey man killed in industrial accident

NY - A 56-year-old Ramsey man was killed on the job Tuesday, Aug. 14. Randall L. Puppe, 15500 block of Sodium Way, was caught in a chip spinner while cleaning the industrial machinery at TCR Corporation, 1600 67th Ave., Brooklyn Center.When Brooklyn Center police officers arrived at the scene, Puppe was in cardiac arrest and they were not able to revive him, said Lt. Scott Nadeau. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled Puppe’s death an accident, caused by mechanical asphyxia and multiple blunt-force injuries. Brooklyn Center police and Occupational Safety and Health Administration are still investigating the accident. According to its Web site, TCR Corporation manufactures metal components for the automotive, industrial, commercial, hydraulic and recreation industries.


Ohio worker killed in industrial trash compactor

COLUMBUS, OH - A warehouse worker was crushed to death in an industrial trash compactor, authorities said. Police said co-workers heard Gilberto Graza shouting, but no one witnessed Tuesday's accident. It was unclear how Graza, 37, got into the machine, used on an outdoor loading dock to pound down cardboard going into a large recycling container. Graza was pronounced dead a short time after medics arrived at the distribution warehouse operated by Sears Logistics Services, part of retailer Sears Holdings Corp. Police closed their investigation, satisfied the death was accidental, police spokeswoman Amanda Ford said Wednesday. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is interviewing warehouse managers and employees in hopes of determining how it occurred, said Deborah Zubaty, OSHA area director. Sears said it was not able to comment on the investigation. "It was an unfortunate incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with associate's family," said Kim Freely, a company spokeswoman.


St. Louis Police Officer Dies After Being Shot in North St. Louis

MO - A massive manhunt is on as police search for the shooters who killed one of their own. Black bunting hangs over the St. Louis Police Department, marking the loss. It's been three years since a St. Louis police officer was killed in the line of duty. Police sources tell FOX 2 after Officer Norvelle Brown, 22, was shot at least once, he got on his police radio and began calling for help, “officer in need of aid.” Apparently one of the suspects shot Brown again in the face. Officer Brown was shot overnight while on routine patrol on Semple between MLK and Coate Brilliante in North St. Louis. He was alone in the car at the time.


Construction Worker Dies In Accident

GRESHAM, Ore. - A construction worker died Friday after 30-foot deep hole caved in and the 1,600-pound pipe he was helping position crushed him. Officials say 29-year-old Edward Manley was working on a subdivision construction site in Gresham just south of Division Street. Gresham Fire and Emergency Services Jim Klum says Manley was in a 15-foot-by-15-foot hole when it collapsed. The force of the soil hit the man, knocking him over. Hundreds of pounds of clay pinned his legs. Gresham's technical rescue team used picks to chop the clay away to rescue the man. Unstable soil also made the rescue particularly dangerous for firefighters. Klum says Manley sustained serious head injuries. He died Friday morning at Oregon Health and Science University. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.


St. Louis Police Officer Dies After Being Shot in North St. Louis

A St. Louis police officer was murdered Wednesday evening after being shot during a shootout in the 16-hundred block of Semple, near Martin Luther King Drive, in North St. Louis. The officer was shot while on routine patrol. He was 22 years old, and had been on the force for a year. St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa confirmed the officer died at Barnes Jewish Hospital. The chief reported the officer was wearing body armor, and was shot in the chest. The bullet may have entered through the side of the bullet proof vest.


OSHA fines Wisconsin company following accident that crushed worker

ROTHSCHILD, Wis. — The company where a 50-year-old worker died after being crushed by a large piece of steel last month has been fined $3,500 by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration for a workplace safety violation. Imperial Industries didn't provide a guard mechanism to protect workers from dangerous moving machine parts, the agency said in the citation. The company makes steel tanks. Ken Stankey of Mosinee was killed July 24 when a large steel tank cylinder fell on him.


State investigating workplace death

MN - State workplace safety investigators are trying to determine how an experienced employee got trapped in a machine he regularly cleaned, killing him Tuesday night. Randall Lee Puppe, 56, of Ramsey, was found dead by co-workers at TCR Engineered Components in Brooklyn Center shortly before 10 p.m. "We don't know how this happened. We're very puzzled by it," said Mike Rott, president of the company that makes metal components, particularly specialized fasteners. "It's tragic. I don't know how else to say it." The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, which conducts workplace safety inspections in the state, had sent inspectors, said spokesman James Honerman. "We've opened an investigation and we're looking into it," Honerman said State records show the business was last inspected in 2002. The company was cited for 12 safety violations, 11 of which were considered serious. All the problems were quickly resolved.


Second man dies in Clear Lake-store roof collapse

TX - Rain pinged on the roof like falling nails and thunder exploded in a sky that had become almost dark as night. Customers of a Clear Lake strip shopping center Thursday darted for their cars or hunkered beneath overhangs, marveling that a storm that supposedly was losing its punch could be so fierce. Then, without warning, the roof of a supermarket's loading dock/storage area collapsed, crushing one worker to death, a second man died later at Ben Taub General Hospital.


Seasonal employee dies in park wreck

WY - An employee of Yellowstone National Park’s concessions operator died Wednesday when his vehicle rolled over near the Old Faithful interchange. Joshua Spalsbury, 27, of Grand Ledge, Mich., was driving in the Old Faithful area about 7:30 a.m. when his vehicle left the road, rolled and then hit a tree, trapping him inside, according to the park. National Park Service rangers and emergency response personnel found him unresponsive and without a pulse. Extrication equipment and personnel were required to access and recover his body.


Worker killed under mobile home in Yakima

OR - A worker was fatally injured when he was pinned under a mobile home in Yakima. Police say the man was preparing a foundation for the home this morning when it shifted on top of him. He was removed by fire department rescuers and taken to a hospital where he died. The state Department of Labor and Industries is investigating the accident.


3 Rescue Workers Killed at Utah Mine, Future of Utah Mine Search Uncertain After Cave-In Kills 3 Rescuers; Miners' Fate Unknown

UT - The search for six miners missing deep underground was abruptly halted after a second cave-in killed three rescue workers and injured at least six others who were trying to tunnel through rubble to reach them. It was a devastating turn for the families of the six men trapped in the Aug. 6 collapse at the Crandall Canyon mine and for the relatives of those trying to rescue them. It's not known if the trapped miners are alive. one of the losses (Gary Jensen, MSHA)


Worker killed at South Padre construction site

TX, - A construction worker was killed on the job in South Padre Island. It happened at a construction site at the Sheraton hotel. We've learned a steel panel used to pour concrete fell on top of the 20-year-old man. Justice of the Peace Bennie Ochoa pronounced the worker dead shortly after 7 a.m. South Padre Island Police Chief Robert Rodriguez says the accident victim was from Mercedes, but they haven't released his name. The victim's brother was also a construction worker at the site. Rodriguez says the brother wasn't hurt. But he tells us the man taken to the hospital, because he was distraught. Construction workers have been sent home for the day. The only people allowed in the Sheraton are hotel guests, workers, and people who have business there. The police chief says OSHA will be doing an investigation, as well as some of the city's building officials.


"Shots are being fired," employee says in 911 call before slaying

OH - A trucking company manager called 911 just before he was shot and killed, saying that one of the company's drivers was trying to take off in a truck after being fired. The manager, Douglas Smith, said the employee had just been let go. Smith's voice was calm until he heard the first shots. "Shots are being fired," he told the 911 dispatcher. "I need to go downstairs and see what's going on." Smith, of Toledo, and another employee were killed Wednesday afternoon at Liberty Transportation in Perrysburg Township near Toledo, police said. Calvin Neyland Jr., 43, of Findlay, was arrested about three hours after the shooting in a motel parking lot in Michigan, where he was driving a red semitrailer cab, authorities said. An extradition hearing was scheduled for Thursday.


Electrician working on field lights killed

TX - Licensed journeyman electrocuted at Liberty Christian football stadium. An electrical company employee was killed Wednesday morning while working on the football field lights at Liberty Christian School. Jacob Dyska, 28, of North Richland Hills, was pronounced dead at the scene. The licensed journeyman electrician was working for the Fort Worth office of Design Electric. Argyle police and fire rescue crews, responding to a 911 call received at 11:39 a.m., found Mr. Dyska lying in the crow's nest at the top of an 85-foot light pole. Because the Argyle Fire Department doesn't have a ladder truck, Fire Chief Mac Hohenberger called for assistance from the Denton Fire Department, which brought a truck and a high-angle rescue crew. Dispatchers told first responders that Mr. Dyska may have received current for 15 to 20 seconds.


Man dies after water treatment plant accident

AR - An industrial accident claimed the life of a 48-year-old employee of a local contractor Wednesday afternoon at the City Corp. Water Treatment Plant in northern Russellville. A steel beam that weighed approximately 500-600 pounds fell off a piece of equipment, struck Roy A. Bradley in the head, and the man died as a result of his injuries, Pope County Deputy Coroner Doug Hottinger said Wednesday night. Hottinger went on to say the accident occurred at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, and the man was pronounced dead after he was transported by Pope County EMS to Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center. City Corp. General Manager Craig Noble said Wednesday night the accident — defined as industrial since it took place at a production facility — did not involve any City Corp. personnel, but was “the result of work being performed by a contractor working for City Corporation.”


Contract worker dies at Port Arthur oil refinery

PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS — A contract worker was killed in an industrial accident Thursday on the property of an oil refinery. Emery Bowie, 25, of Port Arthur, died while working on the Alligator Bayou Project at a Motiva Enterprises LLC refinery in an accident that involved heavy equipment, said Jeff Gulledge, project manager for Standard Constructors. Bowie worked Standard Constructors Inc. and was described as an experienced, certified operator of heavy equipment. Additional details about the accident were not released


City worker electrocuted while mowing

MONTEVALLO, AL - A 39-year-old city worker was electrocuted Friday morning after being struck by a fallen power line. Ralph Burke was part of a three-man crew trimming bushes near the intersection of Shoshone Street and Overland Road when he came in contact with a downed line around 9:30 a.m. The three men had just returned from a water break. Burke was pronounced dead at scene. The other two workers were not injured, but have been offered counseling through the chaplain's academy of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.


Indiana Truck Driver killed In I-26 Accident

IN - Two trucks collide; interstate closed for more than six hours. An Indiana truck driver was killed when two tractor-trailers collided on Interstate 26 in northern Spartanburg County Tuesday night. The accident forced troopers to divert traffic off the interstate for more than six hours. The Spartanburg County Coroner's Office says Richard Groover, Junior, 36, died when another 18-wheeler crossed the median and hit his tractor trailer around 9:00pm Tuesday. The driver of the other truck was flown to the hospital for treatment. The Highway Patrol says a car traveling on west I-26 went off the road and over corrected. That car hit a tractor-trailer and sent that large truck across the median and into the path of the 18-wheeler being driven by Groover.


Worker killed at DIA lived in Pennsylvania

CO - The worker killed Monday at Denver International Airport is a 46-year-old Pennsylvania family man with a son serving in the Army in Iraq. In a freak, predawn accident, Robert L. Genzler, 46, of Beaver Falls, Pa., was hit by a giant sweeping machine as workers scrubbed tire rubber from a DIA runway. Genzler worked for Rampart Hydro Services, a Pennsylvania firm that uses trucks that blast high-pressure water as a way to strip rubber residue left by landing jetliners from runways. Denver police said the DIA worker driving the sweeper lost sight of Genzler, apparently because the man had bent over to pick up an object on the runway, which was closed for cleaning, police said.


2 Killed in Ohio Workplace Shooting

WALBRIDGE, Ohio - A shooting at a trucking company left two people dead Wednesday, and a suspect was arrested in Michigan after fleeing the scene in a semitrailer cab. The 43-year-old man was arrested several hours after the 3 p.m. shooting at Liberty Transportation in Perrysburg Township, township Detective Sgt. Robert Gates said. The cab was found in a hotel parking lot in Monroe County, Mich., just over the state line, police said. Police said they are interviewing witnesses and have not determined a motive. Details on the victims were not released, and no one else was injured, Gates said. The company is in an industrial complex in the township, seven miles southeast of Toledo.


Contracted Austin Energy Tree Trimmer Hits Power Line, Dies

AUSTIN, TX -- A contractor trimming trees for Austin Energy died Wednesday after hitting a power line. Austin Energy spokesman Ed Clark says the man was working for a subcontractor in the Emerald Forest Subdivision around 10:00 a.m. when the incident happened. Clark says this is the first death associated with tree maintenance by Austin Energy. The Austin Police Department is investigating the death, which is routine when a fatality happens at a worksite in Austin. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA is also investigating. Austin Energy officials say they will review the incident its tree trimming program procedures. Officials are not releasing the name of the victim until family members are notified. Austin Energy officials say the man worked for Lynx System Incorporated of Austin. They say it is a subcontractor to Davey Tree Surgery.


Diver who died at BP identified

WA - Police identified the diver who died in Tuesday’s industrial accident at the BP Cherry Point Refinery as Christopher N. Primeau, 35, of Wallula, near Kennewick. Primeau, a freelance diver employed by Spokane-based Associated Underwater Services Inc., was 130 feet under water examining pilings being installed near the refinery when employees on the surface lost radio contact with him. A second diver found Primeau unconscious near the bottom of a piling and brought him to the surface. Paramedics and BP personnel were unable to revive him. The cause of death remains under investigation. Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Doug Chadwick said it appears that one of the pilings fell over, though it’s unclear if that led to Primeau’s death.


Summit man electrocuted on construction site

IL - A 32-year-old construction worker from Summit was killed when a high voltage electrical line fell into the trench where he was working and electrocuted him. Robert Lozano, an employee of Swallow Construction, was electrocuted about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday while working in an Arlington Heights' Lynwood subdivision, the Arlington Heights police said. The workers were connecting fire hydrant pipes when another worker driving an excavating truck snapped a ComEd line, said Cmdr. Nicholas Pecora Jr. of the Arlington Heights Police Department. The power line fell into the trench the men were working in, which contained some water, Pecora said. The second employee declined further medical treatment after being evaluated on the scene, the release said.


Man killed in trench collapse was from Aurora

DENVER, CA - The death of a plumbing contractor buried under an estimated 2,000 pounds of dirt in Denver has been ruled an accident. Coroner's officials identified the man today as 26-year-old Erick Acosta Hernandez of Aurora. Firefighters say he was working on a sewer line yesterday at a construction site when he dropped his shovel into a trench several feet deep. The trench, which did not have required safety supports, collapsed when he went to get the shovel. The man's co-workers tried to dig him out, but Fire Department spokesman Phil Champagne estimates Hernandez was covered for about 20 minutes. Hernandez was pronounced dead at a hospital yesterday afternoon.


Construction Worker Dies After 30 Foot Fall

TEMECULA, Calif. A construction worker plunged 30 feet to his death from a rooftop of an office building under construction in Temecula, authorities reported Tuesday. The fatal fall at the Temecula Corporate Center in the 27000 block of Via Industria was reported at 11:01 a.m., according to Jody Hagemann, with the Riverside County fire information office. The worker, whose name was not immediately released, fell through the roof and onto the concrete below and suffered fatal head injuries, she said.


Airline employee dies in accident at Tunica Airport

TN - The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are looking into the death of a worker at the Tunica Airport. Alan Simpson, a flight mechanic for California-based Sky King Incorporated, died in an accident at the airport on July 10. According to a preliminary NTSB report, Simpson was attempting to close the main cabin door on a flight that was preparing to take off from Tunica when he lost his grip and fell ten feet to the ground. Simpson suffered a skull fracture and broken ribs, and died the next day at The MED.


Front-end loader crushes elderly farmer

ROYAL CENTER, Ind. -- An 86-year-old man was killed when he became trapped between the cab and the hydraulic bucket of a front-end loader on a Cass County farm, Indiana State Police said. Robert L. Phillips, Jr., was attempting to use the loader to move a livestock trailer Monday from his barn on his property in Royal Center, about 55 miles south of South Bend, police said. Phillips apparently attempted to enter the cab of the front-end loader when the hydraulic bucket activated, pinning him to the cab, police said. He was discovered by his wife shortly before noon and pulled from the equipment by members of the Royal Center Volunteer Fire Department. Phillips died of blunt force trauma to the chest, state police said.


Baseball coach hit, killed by line-drive ball, Fatal injury to Rockies' farm team coach raises safety questions

DENVER, CO — The Colorado Rockies are remembering a member of their family--a minor league coach who was killed in a tragic baseball accident. A former big-leaguer himself, Mike Coolbaugh was a coach for a minor league team, which is owned by the Rockies, when he was hit by a foul ball. It happened Sunday night in the ninth inning at a game in Little Rock, Arkansas, between the Tulsa Drillers and the Arkansas Travelers. Coolbaugh was working as the first bse coach last night in Little Rock, when a line drive foul ball hit him in the head. While the Rockies mourn the loss, they're also wondering if something should be done to keep the teams and fans safer. "He was a good man," said Rockies Manager Clint Hurdle. "I spoke with him July 4th for about 20 minutes. We talked about kids, and we talked about the relationship and the demands of a father, as a coach."


Fire-Fighting Pilot Dies in Calif. Crash

CA - Helicopter Crashes, Killing Pilot Fighting Wildfire in California's Klamath National Forest. Fire managers worried that lightning could spark more blazes in the West, while investigators tried to determine what caused a helicopter delivering water to firefighters in the Klamath National Forest to crash, killing the pilot. The chopper went down Monday in "extremely rugged" mountains about 12 miles southeast of Happy Camp in Siskiyou County, said Duane Lyon, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman. The helicopter was carrying a large water container to refill hand-pump backpacks for firefighters on the ground. Some firefighters saw the helicopter crash and reported it to emergency dispatchers. The pilot, who was not identified, was under contract with the Forest Service but was not a government employee, Lyon said. The pilot was the only person on board.



Death reported at St. Ansgar plant

IA - The Iowa Occupational Health and Safety Division is investigating the death of an employee at the Grain Millers Incorporated processing plant in St. Ansgar. OSHA administrator Mary Bryant says the death of a female was reported to her agency last Thursday. The company has issued a press release saying that 54-year-old Melanie Ann Haverhals was found non-responsive by co-workers at about 8 o'clock Thursday night, with emergency personnel immediately being summoned to the plant. Bryant says initial information provided to her by the company says Haverhals was found at the bottom of a belt lift, which transports people to different levels of the plant. Bryant adds that the woman might have fallen nearly eight stories, but the agency's investigation has not been completed.


Gasfield worker dies in Antero drill site mishap, Employee struck by falling steel object

SILT, Colo. — Joseph Buchanan, 34, of Louisiana, was fatally injured in an apparent work-related accident at an Antero Resources gas-production drilling rig Thursday evening near Silt. The accident occurred at a drilling rig near mile marker one on County Road 315, (Mamm Creek Road). According to Garfield County Sheriff's spokeswoman Tanny McGinnis, Rifle Fire Protection District (RFPD) responded to the call at 5:45 p.m. Thursday where they found Buchanan with head injuries. "It looks to be an apparent mechanical failure," said Garfield County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Ashworth. McGinnis said the RFPD crew worked on Buchanan at the scene of the accident for nearly an hour before he was pronounced dead.


Truck driver hits bridge off Interstate 84, dies

Town of Wallkill, NY — A truck driver was killed yesterday morning when the tractor-trailer he was driving veered off Interstate 84 westbound and hit a bridge. Levi L. Childress, 39, of Missouri, died on impact from multiple fractures, internal bleeding and lung and brain injuries, the autopsy revealed. No other motorists were involved in the accident, which happened at around 7:30 a.m. After he collided with the Route 17 bridge at Exit 4, two motorists stopped and one used a fire extinguisher to put out a small fire that started, state police said.It is not clear why Childress drove off the road. Early speculation pointed at either a heart attack, which was ruled out by the autopsy, or the possibility that he fell asleep at the wheel. There were no skid marks in the grassy shoulder or on the concrete, indicating he did not try to stop. The tractor-trailer stopped once it hit the concrete side of the bridge, leaving large black splotches, and flipped onto its left side.


Wounded New York Police Officer Dies

NEW YORK — An officer shot in the face during a traffic stop died Saturday, and the suspected gunmen now face murder charges, officials said. Russel Timoshenko, 23, died at a hospital of injuries suffered early Monday after he and his partner stopped a stolen SUV in Brooklyn, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. Timoshenko had been paralyzed, suffered brain swelling and was unable to breathe on his own. His partner, Herman Yan, who was saved by his bullet-resistant vest, was released from a hospital Tuesday. Two suspects captured in Pennsylvania were charged in the assault; a third man suspected of driving the getaway car is being held in New York.


Police officer dies in car accident

A Montgomery police officer has been killed in a vehicle accident. Montgomery police spokesman Lt. Mark Drinkard said that the accident happened at 11:05 p.m. Friday at Old Selma Road and Hunter Loop Road. According to a press release, Montgomery police officer Robert Edward McCrory, 24, was pronounced dead on the scene when his 2005 Dodge Ram collided with a 1997 Chevy Cavalier. The driver ran a red light at the intersection when McCrory was traveling westbound on Old Selma Road and Hunter Loop Road. McCrory's vehicle left the roadway and struck a telephone pole. The Cavalier left the roadway and traveled 70 yards into a field. Micah Joel Day was the driver of the Cavalier and was transported to Baptist South Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.


Mississippi Officer Dies in Crash

MS - It's a time of mourning at the Kemper County Sheriff's Department, where officers are remembering one of their own. 59-year-old Deputy William Walters died in a two-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon on Highway 16 East of DeKalb. "Not only was he a deputy and a worker, but he was a friend to me," said Sheriff Sam Tisdale. Tisdale says that's what makes the loss so hard. For the past seven months, Walters had worked with the Kemper County Sheriff's Department. This same department lost a dispatcher, Shandy Hudson, who was killed in an accident while on her way to work three years ago, and Sheriff Mike McKee was killed in the line of duty ten years ago.


2 firefighters die in San Pablo blaze, "Flashover" catches men searching for residents in burning house

CA - Two Contra Costa County firefighters lost their lives Saturday after they were caught in an explosion of flames as they tried unsuccessfully to rescue a couple from their burning home in unincorporated San Pablo, authorities said. A seemingly routine call for help quickly turned disastrous with four lives lost, and left the 300-member Contra Costa County Fire Protection District reeling from the first on-duty deaths in its history. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Capt. Matt Burton, 34, of Concord, Fire Engineer Scott Desmond, 37, of Brentwood, and residents Delbert Moore, 67, and Gayle Moore, 62, died in the blaze at the couple's ranch-style, one-story home on Michele Drive in the Montalvin Manor neighborhood, authorities said. The firefighters had managed to pull one victim from the home and were trying to find the other person when they were caught in a "flashover," which happens when hot gases build up in a building and cause bursts of flame to erupt, said Fire Chief Keith Richter.


OSHA investigates Round Rock workplace death

A workplace accident at a Round Rock manufacturing company took the life of a worker this week. Heath Bice, 28, of Bartlett, was found unconscious at the TECO-Westinghouse Company on Monday afternoon. Emergency workers say Bice suffered a wound to his chest and abdomen area. The cause of death is not known at this time. OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is investigating the accident.


Man drowns in Collinsville pond

MO - An employee of a Collinsville construction firm drowned in a pond on his company's property Wednesday. Timothy L. Cochran, 53, of Highland, died when the farm tractor his was driving tipped over a small hill and rolled into a pond at 6086 Fedder Lane in Collinsville. Witnesses called 911 at about 11:30 a.m. and pulled Cochran from the water. He was pronounced dead at 12:10 p.m., according to the Madison County Coroner's Office. Drugs or alcohol do not appear to have played a role in the death, but toxicology reports will be performed, as well as an autopsy, Coroner's Office representative Roger D. Smith said. The Coroner's Office said Cochran's brother, Perry Cochran, owns the property, which is also listed as the address for the general contractor and construction company Cochran Homes. The company's Web site lists Tim Cochran as an employee. Calls to Perry Cochran and the company were not immediately returned.


Tattoo Shop Worker Shot & Killed

TN - Police are on the scene of robbery and deadly shooting at a Tattoo shop in Northeast Memphis. It happened just after 2 p.m. at Top Shelf Tattoo in the 6400 block of Summer. Investigators say a 32 year-old woman was shot at the shop. She died shortly after the shooting. Memphis police are now looking for two men and a woman. The trio was last seen driving east on Summer. The tattoo parlor is across the street from the shopping center where a Fayette County teen shot two people in May. We do have a crew on the scene. Check back on our website and watch Eyewitness News Everywhere at 6 p.m. for the very latest information. View


3 medical workers, 2 patients killed as semi hits ambulance

PAULDING, Ohio — Three emergency medical workers and two of their patients were killed last night when their ambulance was struck broadside by a tractor-trailer and burst into flames in northwestern Paulding County, the Ohio Highway Patrol said. Another emergency medical worker and the driver of the semi were hurt in the crash just before 7 p.m. between Paulding and Cecil, Ohio, about 65 miles southwest of Toledo, troopers at the patrol’s Van Wert post said. The Ohio State Highway Patrol's Van Wert Post released the names this morning of the five people killed in the crash. The emergency workers from Antwerp were: Sammy R. Smith, 64; Heidi L. McDougall, 31, and Kelly J. Rager, 25.


Iron Workers Killed When Manlift Collapses - What Their Widows Need to Know...

AK - On July 19th, ironworkers Tyler Kahle and Craig Bagley were killed in Nome, when their manlift collapsed under them. Newspaper accounts report that two were working for Alaska Mechanical Inc., a contractor building the Rock Creek mine and milling facilities operated by Alaska Gold Co., a NovaGold Resources Inc. subsidiary. Here is what their widows/families need to know about Alaskan law...The widows have two (2) claims under Alaskan law: (1) a worker's compensation claim (about worthless); and (2) a claim against whomever was supported to maintain the manlift. It is presently unknown if the collapse occurred due to operator error or a mechanical problem, according to troopers. Hence, the first thing to determine is "Who was operating the manlift?" The second thing to determine is "Who employed that responsible worker?" The widows/families of these two men have claims against whomever was responsible for ensuring their safety on that manlift.


County Employee Killed In Two Vehicle Crash

MS - A Lincoln County employee was killed and a County Supervisor riding with him was injured after a two vehicle crash on a rural Marion county road. It happened on Highway 13 just inside the Marion County line near Columbia, Mississippi at 1:15 Thursday afternoon. Mississippi Highway Patrol Sergeant Perry Snyder says 46-year-old Tommy C. Kyzar was driving a county owned 2003 Chevy pick-up truck northbound when it drifted into the southbound lane. The pick-up smashed into an oncoming 18-wheeler. Kyzar was killed. His passenger, 47-year-old Jerry Wilson, was airlifted to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg. Wilson injuries are not life threatening. He is district two supervisor for Lincoln County. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured.


Raybon killed in plant accident

AL - A man was killed Tuesday afternoon in a forklift accident at Liberty Building Products, LLC in Grove Hill. Clarke County E-911 reported that it received the call at approximately 2:54 p.m. from the facility on Industrial Park Drive off Love Road. According to Royce Kelley of the Grove Hill Police Department, the victim of the accident is William Rodger Raybon, 55, of 777 Centerline Road in Fulton. Raybon was marking off the plant floor with tape to show forklifts where to go for safety purposes, Kelley said. The driver of a forklift was moving lumber from a truck and didn't see Raybon kneeling down. Raybon was hit by the forklift. The forklift driver was not identified by authorities. Liberty Building Products manufactures wooden roof trusses and other wood products in the plant formerly occupied by Hamilton Wood Veneer. The deceased man's brother, Terry Raybon, and his nephews, Brian Raybon and Darin Raybon, are listed as principal members of the corporation. Brian Raybon said in a prepared statement Wednesday, "We are mourning the loss of a close family member" and declined further comment on the accident. District Attorney Spencer Walker said Tuesday the initial investigation revealed "no foul play. It was clearly an industrial accident," he said.


Construction worker hit and killed by equipment

SAN DIEGO, CA - A construction worker was killed at a Kearny Mesa construction site yesterday when a 600-pound excavation bucket fell on him. The county Medical Examiner's Office identified the man as Darrell Gene Morgan, 55, of Vista. Morgan was with other employees of Straight Line Engineering who were setting up equipment at the site, a cul-de-sac on Copley Drive, about 9 a.m., police Lt. Jerry McManus said. Morgan was standing in a trench when the bucket fell off the arm of the excavator and struck him in the chest, said Kate McGuire, spokeswoman for the state's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. She said the excavator was being operated by another construction worker.




Forklift fatally crushes demo worker at tannery

NORTH SIDE, IL - A demolition worker was killed Thursday afternoon in an accident at a shuttered tannery on Chicago's North Side. The accident occurred about 1:30 p.m. at the former Gutmann Leather Co. tannery, on the 1500 block of West Webster Avenue, police said. The victim, Jose Torres, 65, was part of a demolition crew that has been knocking down the tannery since it closed last year. Workers found the victim's body and called 911, Sgt. Eugene Mullins said. "It appears to be a construction accident," but police were still investigating how the man died because there were no witnesses, he said. A Cook County medical examiner's office spokesman said Torres of the 5100 block of South Avers Avenue was crushed between a forklift and a wall. He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:40 p.m., the spokesman said.


Woman killed in fall from museum roof

BALTIMORE, MD - A woman who worked as a firefighter and paramedic in Howard County was killed early Thursday when she fell from the roof of an Inner Harbor museum, officials said. Mary Rollins, 27, of Baltimore was on the museum roof with a friend about 2:30 a.m., the museum's receptionist, according to Roland Woodward, the museum director. The two got onto the roof from a staircase on the outside of the building and were trying to climb onto the museum's adjacent neon sign that overlooks the water, Woodward said. Rollins fell some 65 feet, Officer Nicole Monroe, a Baltimore police spokeswoman, said.


Security guard killed; also justice censured

NJ - An armed private security guard was shot and killed this morning while delivering about $150,000 to a Newark check cashing store, authorities said. Officials have not released the name of the victim, who was shot shortly after 9 a.m. at Town Check Cashing on West Market and 12th Street. He was pronounced dead at nearby University Hospital at 10:02 a.m. "He attempted to draw his weapon, and he was shot in the head," said Janet Dickerson, a spokeswoman for Newark. The job usually involves two guards, but the victim's partner did not show up, said Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura. Police are now questioning the partner, he said. Authorities are planning a noon press conference.

Hwy 13 crash kills Lincoln County worker

MS - A Lincoln County employee was killed and a county supervisor was injured Thursday afternoon in a two-vehicle accident near the Marion-Lamar county line. State troopers say 46-year-old Tommy Kyzar of Brookhaven was killed when his Chevy pickup veered into the other lane of Highway 13 and struck an oncoming 18-wheeler. Lincoln County supervisor Jerry Wilson was reportedly asleep in the passenger side of the pickup. The extent of his injuries is unknown. The 18-wheeler belonged to Triple M Logging, and its driver, 22-year-old Joshua Carey of Richton, suffered minor injuries.


Witnesses say truck hit and killed DPW worker

NY - A "tragic accident" killed a local musician Wednesday when he was struck by a city of Syracuse dump truck at his day job at the Department of Public Works, a union official said. Donald A. Ransom, 51, a keyboardist with the Black Lites and AfterFX, was working near the DPW's asphalt plant off Midler Avenue sometime after 9 a.m. when he was struck by a city vehicle, DPW Commissioner Jeff Wright said. The truck was operated by 32-year DPW employee Charles Feigel, of Chestnut Ridge Road, Chittenango. Ransom, of Garfield Avenue, Syracuse, was pronounced dead at 10:09 a.m. at University Hospital, city police said.


Convenience store worker fatally shot

VA - Midlothian man was fatally shot last night at a convenience store in Chesterfield County. Police said the victim, 52-year-old Anwar Farooq, was discovered around 11:30 p.m. by a customer who walked into the Fast and Friendly store at 6249 Jefferson Davis Highway in the Falling Creek section of Chesterfield. Farooq, a resident of the 2800 block of Sugarberry Lane who worked at the store, was found dead on the floor. Authorities believe robbery was the motive for the shooting.


Vigil held in Venice for slain LAX worker

CA - Family and friends of a Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) worker who was shot and killed outside a Venice liquor store on Saturday, July 7th, gathered at the site of his death to say goodbye to him Saturday, July 14th. Eric Lorenzo, 20, of South Los Angeles, was murdered by two unknown assailants outside Lincoln Liquor Locker in the 2400 block of Lincoln Boulevard. The alleged gunmen then fled the scene in a car, driving east on Zanja Avenue, according to witnesses. Lorenzo was taken to UCLA Medical Center, where he died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head Monday, July 9th..


Worker killed in trench at construction site

SAN DIEGO, CA – A construction worker was killed inside a trench in a Kearny Mesa construction site Thursday morning, apparently when a 600-pound bucket fell on him. The worker, whose identity has not been released, was at the cul-de-sac on Copley Drive about 9 a.m. when the accident happened, said police Lt. Jerry McManus. The victim was with other employees of Straight Line Engineering, who were setting up equipment on the site, the lieutenant said. Medics pronounced the man dead inside the trench. A backhoe, minus its earth-scooping bucket, could be seen nearby. Workplace safety investigators from Cal-OSHA, the state's workplace safety agency, police officers and the District Attorney's office all are looking into the accident. The property is owned by Sudberry Properties, which is building office buildings, a parking structure and a bank on the location. The construction site was closed for the investigation.


One killed in Grove Hill industrial accident

AL - A person died in an industrial accident Tuesday at Liberty Building Products in Grove Hill in central Clarke County, city officials said. City police and officials with Liberty Building Products confirmed that someone had died in an accident but provided no further information Tuesday. Liberty manufactures a variety of wooden building materials, according to company profiles on the Internet.


66-year-old local man dies from Hantavirus

CO - State and local health officials have confirmed a local man has died due to complications from Hantavirus. The Tribune has learned that Fred Sharp, 66, of Silver Cliff Ranch, died last Monday, July 9, at a Pueblo hospital, after contracting the virus at a location that has yet to be determined. Sharp had been an employee at the Horn Creek Conference Center. Two deaths from Hantavirus have also been confirmed in Costilla and Park counties in recent days. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, investigations are being conducted to determine the source of each Hantavirus exposure. Earlier this week, health officials were performing tests at Horn Creek and the Sharp home. Hantavirus is a serious respiratory disease carried by deer mice which are typically found in rural areas. The disease is not carried by the more common house mouse.


Police Seek Shooter of McDonald's Drive-thru Worker

PA - Neighbors and friends still cannot believe what happened to 40-year-old Shawnee Koch. In what may have been a random act of violence, the McDonald's employee was shot in the head during a "drive-by" at the drive-thru early Tuesday morning. She died 12 hours later. WFMZ's Joel D. Smith reports.o far police don't have anything new to tell us. An autopsy began at 3:00, and the investigation is of course, ongoing. This is the same spot where someone was murdered less than 3 years ago. Today we talked to someone working here then. And she thinks many of the employees in here now, are second guessing where they work. Mellisa Ortiz: Yes because this wasn't the first time something like this happened. I quit. I quit when that happened with another person, I quit Mellisa Ortiz was working at McDonald's in October of 2004, when Jason Stief was murdered while in line at the drive thru. Oritz now lives across the street from where Shawnee Koch lived. She says she saw her often.


Man dies in workplace accident at Round Rock manufacturing company, Company under investigation by OSHA.

TX - A TECO-Westinghouse Motor Co. employee died Monday in a workplace accident. Investigators and a company attorney would not answer questions about what killed Heath Bice, 28, of Bartlett, but Round Rock firefighters said he sustained a wound to the chest and abdomen area. Round Rock firefighters said they received a call from TECO-Westinghouse about 1:45 p.m. When they arrived, they found Bice unconscious. They performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and used a defibrillator until paramedics arrived. TECO-Westinghouse, a manufacturer of electric motors and generators, referred questions to Austin attorney Wayne Meissner. He would not answer questions about the incident. "Heath Bice was a valued friend and valued employee, and we are all saddened by his tragic accident," Meissner said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family." Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials are investigating Bice's death. Diane Petterson, a spokeswoman for OSHA, said Wednesday that she could not comment because of the investigation. Listen


Police make third arrest in murder of Jeffco Burger King worker

CO - Authorities said today that a restaurant employee has been arrested in connection with the robbery of a Jefferson County Burger King that left a female employee dead. Arvada Police arrested Anthony Cole, 21, on suspicion of first-degree murder and robbery. He is being held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail. Cole was working at the fast-food restaurant when two other suspects allegedly robbed the eatery and shot the woman. On Tuesday, two Arvada men suspected of being involved in the robbery and homicide were captured at a Greyhound bus station in Savannah, Ga. The pair, identified as Thomas Steven Johns, 17, and Anthony John Lowe, 21, were arrested shortly after midnight by plainclothes SWAT team members. Arvada police said Burger King employee Celia Meza was shot and killed by robbers early Sunday, after two suspects ran out with an undisclosed amount of cash.


EMS Worker Killed In Accident

NEAR COMSTOCK, MI – The crash happened Tuesday in Kalamazoo County. In the accident, emergency trainer Paul Dickens died. Dickens worked with emergency response personnel across West Michigan. "He was probably the most dedicated person to emergency medical services that I've met," said one person who knew him. While heading down I-94 Tuesday night, a tire came off an Iowa man's truck. It flew down the highway, hitting the truck driven by Dickens, who lived in Hillsdale. His truck went out of control and ran into a car driven by a Battle Creek woman. The Battle Creek woman and Iowa man were treated and released, but Dickens died at the scene. The Sheriff's Department says at 70 miles an hour, that tire became a missile. A Reading emergency sticker, an EMS license plate and a teaching manual were on the front seat. Now they are just mementos of a life that ended early. video


Syracuse DPW worker killed in accident

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A local musician and a long time city worker was killed after a co-worker struck him with a DPW truck about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Fellow DPW co-worker Edward Firnstein is shocked. "We took lunches together, breaks together, you know, we hung out at the end of the shift together," he recalls. Firnstein isn't the only one shocked by the tragedy. Police say Donald Ransom, 51, was killed after his co-worker struck him with a DPW truck. The District Attorney's office New York State and the DPW will be investigating. For Commissioner Jeff Wright, it's a tough pill to swallow.


Worker, 23, killed at drive-through

OH - North Linden resident Carla Spaulding said the Kwik n Cold Drive Thru was a lot like a neighborhood general store. "If you didn't have the right amount of money and they knew you, they'd give you credit," she said. "They had no enemies." Spaulding couldn't believe that one of those store workers was dead and another wounded after a robbery and shooting yesterday afternoon at the drive-through convenience store, 2899 Suwanee Rd. Late yesterday, Columbus police had charged Leon Mahone with aggravated murder in the shooting. Mahone, 37, of 133 E. 15th Ave., was in the Franklin County jail. He was one of four men who were stopped in a car shortly after the 1:30 p.m. shooting and questioned about it. No one else was charged late yesterday. The dead man was identified in court documents as Mohammad Khan, 23. His address wasn't available.


Taxi Cab Driver Shot In Head

SEATAC, Wash. -- According to the King County medical examiner 43-year-old Jagit Singh, the taxi driver found dead on July 10, was shot in the head. Singh’s body was discovered in a taxi engulfed in flames in Seatac in the early-morning hours of July 10. According to police, Singh had been dispatched to the Seatac address where he was dispatched to pick up a passenger before he was killed. Investigators said they have not named any suspects in the case.

Workman killed by roller at Honolulu airport identified

HI - A 51-year-old Hilo man who was run over by a pneumatic roller while working on a taxiway repaving job at the general aviation area of Honolulu International Airport was identified by the medical examiner's office as Harvey Kojiro. An autopsy determined Kojiro, an employee of Jas. W. Glover Ltd., died of multiple internal injuries in an industrial accident.

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