Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Aurora city employee fatally shot; gunman sought

NOV 13, AURORA, CO - An Aurora city employee has died after he was shot on the job while looking into a routine zoning complaint at an apartment building. Officers were searching for the gunman after the shooting Thursday in the east-Denver suburb. Aurora city authorities say the code enforcement officer was taken to the hospital, where he died. Area schools were locked down while dozens of officers looked for the suspect.

Sanitation Worker Killed in Recycling Truck

NOV 12, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD - A Montgomery County sanitation worker died after getting caught in a recycling truck's compactor Wednesday morning, according to Montgomery County police. Shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday, authorities were called to the area after a report of an unconscious man. Once at the scene, police found Juan Antonio Rosales-Lopez, 26, unresponsive with a coworker attempting life-saving efforts. Rosales-Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene.

Florida worker crushed between vehicles

NOV 12, PALATKA, FL. - Authorities say a Palatka man has been crushed after he got caught between a semi-truck and a trailer. Authorities say Gerald Jones, 54, was helping a co-worker hook up and move trailers Wednesday. Jones was directing a semi as it backed up when he got caught between the vehicle and a tractor.

Man killed in construction accident identified

NOV 12, DENVER,CO - The man killed when a concrete culvert rolled into a trench he was working in, has been identified as 21-year-old Daniel Cleveland, 21, of Grand Junction. The Mesa County Coroner says Daniel sustained multiple blunt force injuries from the incident. Preliminary toxicology results are negative for drugs and alcohol. The manner of death has been classified as accident. The incident is under investigation by the Grand Junction police Department and OSHA.


Tractor-trailer driver dies in accident

NOV 12, FRANKLIN, NJ — A truck driver was killed Wednesday when the load of steel beams he was hauling shifted as he attempted to stop and crashed through the cab of his tractor-trailer. William R. Gangell Jr., 35, of Woodstown was driving west on Coles Mill Road carrying a load of steel beams shortly before 10 a.m., police said. As another westbound vehicle in front of him made a left turn on to Wall Street, Gangell applied his brakes. The steel beams shifted, punched through the tractor and trapped Gangell inside the cab.


Rancho Cordova Motorcycle Officer Killed While on Duty

NOV 12, RANCHO CORDOVA, CA - The city of Rancho Cordova was in a state of shock after Wednesday afternoon’s fatal accident. Motorcycle officer Larry Canfield, 43, was making a speed enforcement stop and had his lights on siren on when a white car made a left turn in front of him. Sheriff John McGinness said in a statement that there “was no significant criminality with regards to the other driver.” Mr. Canfield was a husband and a father to two young children, both under the age of 10. He was a 13 year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department and a US Army veteran. He began his career in the Sheriff’s Department at the age of 30 and was a second generation police officer. The sheriff described him as "“outgoing, personable, and a good family man”. The sherriff went on to say that “he gave his life doing exactly what he was called to do”.


Man killed when vehicle part falls on him

NOV 11, DES MOINES, IA - Des Moines police say a man has died after part of a Dumpster vehicle he was working on fell on him. Authorities say the accident happened at about 3 p.m. Tuesday. Rafael Blanco, 38, an employee of Anderson Roll-Offs, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say he was working on the hydraulic system under a Dumpster vehicle when the part fell and killed him. The case was being considered an accidental industrial death.


Calumet City man killed in crane accident at Chicago Heights steel plant

NOV 11, CHICAGO, IL - Heladio Ramirez, 32, of Calumet City, was operating the crane Monday at Highway Steel Inc., when part of the crane fell and hit him. No one else was injured when the equipment fell. Ramirez was transported to St. James Hospital and Health Centers in Chicago Heights between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., authorities said. He was pronounced dead at 10:17 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Ramirez is survived by a wife and two children. Wrona said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.


Worker killed in train derailment

NOV 11, HOUSTON, TX- The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate a train derailment that killed a man at an east Harris County railway maintenance facility early today, authorities said. Lee Ryans, 58, was found dead about 4:30 a.m. by other workers at Rescar Inc. in Channelview, Harris County sheriff's officials said. According to initial information, Ryans was killed while helping to switch cars onto other tracks at the railyard, investigators said. "They had three different people at different positions along the track," said sheriff's Capt. John Martin. "At one point, they tried to communicate with the victim by radio and got no response," Martin said. "They walked back and found him pinned between two of the cars." Investigators are trying to determine why the train left the tracks.


Worker found dead inside bulldozer

NOV 11, LAKELAND, FL - A worker was found dead inside the cab of a bulldozer he had been operating Tuesday after co-workers noticed the machine partially submerged in water, the Sheriff's Office reported. Charles Lanier, 53, of Bartow, worked for Moretrench Contracting, which Mosaic hired to do reclamation work on property in Mulberry. Sometime between 3 and 3:20 p.m., for unknown reasons, the bulldozer Lanier was operating went into a pit filled with water next to the area where he was working. The body of water was down a 20-foot-long embankment near the area where he was pushing dirt.


Scaffolding collapse kills one worker

NOV 10, COLUMBIA, MO - An accident at a school construction site killed one worker and left two others injured. Police say a scaffolding collapsed just after 3 p.m. Monday at the construction site for Columbia's newest elementary school. Police identify the man killed as Alan Hildebrand, 53, of Ashland, Ohio. At least two other workers were injured. Ryan Barnes, 33, of Columbia was upgraded to good condition Tuesday morning and Jeffrey Willman, 33, of Boonville was still listed in fair condition at University Hospital. Both were taken there by ambulance, while police say other workers were taken for treatment in private vehicles. Police don't know what caused the scaffolding to collapse, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate. Work has been stopped at the site and Monday night at their board meeting Columbia Public Schools board members put off a decision on naming the new school out of respect for the workers involved in Monday's accident.


Carpet plant worker killed in accident

NOV 10, CHATTANOOGA, TN- Authorities are still investigating an industrial accident Monday evening that killed an employee of a Dalton carpet plant. Bradley Brookshire, 45, of Tunnel Hill, died from massive trauma when he apparently became caught in a carpet-backing machine at the Mohawk Industries plant. The accident happened at about 5:50 p.m. Monday, when Mr. Brookshire's clothing became trapped in the machine. A coworker who witnessed the accident hit an emergency button to stop the operation, but it was too late.


2 employees slain in St. Louis-area Steak'n Shake

NOV 10, ST. LOUIS, MO — A cook and waitress were slain at a Steak'n Shake restaurant early Monday during an apparent robbery, police said. A bread delivery man found one body when he entered the restaurant about 5 a.m. Police who responded to his call found the second victim, St. Louis County police spokeswoman Tracy Panus said. The deaths were ruled homicides, but authorities didn't disclose how the victims were killed. Panus said money was taken from the business, but wouldn't say how much. Police had no suspects by late Monday afternoon. Police said the victims were waitress Tammy Cantrell, 44, and cook Mark Gerstner, 24. Employees, customers and others gathered outside the restaurant, some sharing hugs, during the day as investigators worked. Employees at the scene declined to comment.


SRP worker electrocuted in Mesa

NOV 10, MESA, AZ- A utility worker was electrocuted while working on an east Mesa power line Monday morning. Richard Clasby, a 36-year-old lineman with Salt River Project, was part of a four-man crew performing maintenance work on a wooden pole supporting a 12,000-volt line. No one else was injured, but Clasby’s colleagues were shaken by the death, and they were offered time with counselors from SRP and the city of Mesa, utility spokesman Scott Harrelson said. The incident cut power to about 400 SRP customers. Half of them regained service after an hour; the rest got their power back around 2 p.m., Harrelson said.


Man found dead at Webster City hog confinement

NOV 9, WEBSTER CITY, IA - A worker at a Webster City hog confinement has been found dead of an apparent electrocution. Officials with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation say 34-year-old Isidro Martinez was found Sunday afternoon slumped over a gate at Stockdale Farms by a co-worker. Officials say Martinez died at the scene. Officials with the DCI say preliminary autopsy results show Martinez died of accidental electrocution. Officials say Martinez was originally from Honduras and had a Minnesota identification.


Worker Killed in Convenience Store

NOV 9, GREENSBORO, NC – A grocery story clerk is dead after being shot during an apparent robbery inside a Fisher Park neighborhood convenience store Sunday morning. Police said they're looking for two men they believe are responsible for the attack. Muhammed "Mike" Ali was taken to Moses Cone Hospital after a customer discovered him suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died from his injuries.


Stanton Man Killed in Oil Field Fire

NOV 8, GREENWOOD, TX- Manuel Benny Terango, 42, of Stanton, was doing maintenance work Saturday at a Pioneer Natural Resources site when a fire started in an oil field. Terango suffered burns to 70 percent of his body and was airlifted to a Lubbock hospital. He later died from his injuries.


Barge worker dies

NOV 8, NEW HAVEN, CT - Barge employee John Campagno, 52, died after being found unresponsive aboard a ship traveling near New Haven Harbor. It appeared that Mr. Campagno died of carbon monoxide poisoning. An autopsy is planned. Crew members on the barge tried to revive Campagno, but he was pronounced dead Saturday morning at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Authorities say his identifications listed addresses in North Carolina and Florida. The Coast Guard says Campagno apparently worked and slept in a poorly ventilated section of the barge that contains a generator and heating unit. The barge is owned by Burnham Associates Dredging & Marine Contractors of Salem, MA.


Check Cashing Employee Found Dead

NOV 8, JACKSON, MS - A 51-year old female employee was found shot to death inside a check cashing store early Saturday. Police found her body at about 11 a.m inside Money Man Check Cashing. Police said they will release the victim's name once her next of kin is notified. They said they don't currently have any suspects. The investigation is ongoing.


Salvage yard victim crushed

NOV 7, BROCKTON, MA — The man crushed to death beneath a car at a salvage yard has been identified. Christiano Oliveira, 43, of Fall River, died when the Lincoln Town Car he was trying to remove parts from fell on him. He died despite a valiant effort by workers who lifted the vehicle off him. He was transported from Jack's Used Auto Parts to Brockton Hospital where he was pronounced dead.


Man dies in Tri-West construction accident

NOV 7, LIZTON, IN - A construction worker was killed today while working on a pipeline at a worksite near Tri-West High School. Edward A. Mendenhall, 39, Indianapolis, an employee of the Simmons Co., Pittsboro, was hit in the neck by a saw and died at the scene, according to Hendricks County Sheriff's Lt. Jim Yetter. "It was just a freak accident. There was a (safety) guard on the saw," Yetter said. Yetter said emergency help was called about 8:30 a.m. to the construction site next to Tri-West High School in Lizton.


Officer dies of injuries after car chase

NOV 7, NORTH SALT LAKE, UT - A police officer who suffered critical head injuries in a high-speed crash on Monday has died. Charlie Skinner was 30. Skinner's death late Friday at a hospital was confirmed by his father-in-law, Gary Koehn, who said Mr. Skinner had been taken off life support. Mr. Skinner never regained consciousness after skidding on a rain-slicked road and smashing into a business sign. The officer was chasing a suspected car thief.


Man dies in fall at steel complex

NOV 5, ALTON, IL - The 27-year-old son of a former alderman and city clerk died after he fell about 60 feet through a roof into an Alton Steel Inc. building Wednesday morning. Jeffrey Thole "J.T." Pace, of Alton, and another worker had been repairing the corrugated metal roof at the time of the accident. Pace reportedly stepped on a corrugated plastic panel on the roof that covers a hole that allows light to enter the building. Pace then fell 60 to 70 feet to the ground below. A co-worker called 911 at 8:35 a.m, and ambulance paramedics took the man to Alton Memorial Hospital emergency room, where he was pronounced dead at 9:09 a.m.


Firefighter and Car Theft Suspect Killed

NOV 5, ST LOUIS, MO - A St. Louis firefighter who thought he was helping a motorist after a wreck Wednesday evening instead found himself confronted by an armed carjacker who shot the firefighter and left him dying in the street. Minutes later and a few blocks away, the carjacker fired at St. Louis County officers, who shot back and killed the man, ending a carjacking spree that authorities called "chaotic" and pieced together based on witness accounts. The firefighter, Leonard Riggins, 52, died later at a hospital from a gunshot wound to the chest. Mr. Riggins, a 14-year veteran of the St. Louis Fire Department, left behind a wife and children. "He stopped, he tried to help, and he was shot for no reason at all," said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, speaking at Christian Northeast Hospital on Wednesday night.


Police officer killed on Route 15

OCT 21, GETTSBURG, PA- Three Northern York County Regional police officers were reconstructing a fatal crash that occurred on Sunday this morning when one officer was struck and killed, officials said. The officer was hit while setting up equipment to map out the crash. The impact knocked the officer over a guardrail and down a wooded incline. The officer died instantly, officials said.


Construction Accident Kills Worker In New Haven

OCT 21, NEW HAVEN, IN - An industrial accident in New Haven has taken the life of 41-year-old Roy Randolph Kelly an employee with Advanced Foundation Systems. Emergency personnel were called to Don Fruchey Incorporated just before 11:30 Tuesday morning. Investigators say Kelly died at the scene after being struck in the head by a piece of construction equipment.


Construction accident victim identified

OCT 20, SIOUX FALLS, SD - Sioux Falls authorities have released the name of a worker who was struck by a boom at the construction site of a new elementary school and died. The victim was 51-year-old Henry VandenTop of Doon, Iowa. Police said the fully extended boom of a crane struck him on Monday, knocking him off a 25-foot wall where he was welding. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.


Worker killed when ditch collapses at NY job site

OCT 20, CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. - Authorities investigating the death of a construction worker buried alive when a ditch collapsed in an Albany suburb say the accident could have been prevented. Brent Peck, 20, of Lenox, MA, was installing a drainage pipe Monday at a home in Clifton Park when the walls of a ditch collapsed. A co-worker who had left the area for a brief time discovered what had happened. By the time rescuers could uncover Peck's head and shoulders, he was already dead. It took several hours before emergency crews could remove his body because of the unstable soil.


Farmer killed in combine accident

OCT 20, PORTER TOWNSHIP, IN- Kyle Gustafson, 25, died Monday afternoon from blunt force trauma/crushing injuries sustained Sunday in an accident at his family's farm. Mr. Gustafon was operating a combine Saturday when he became became pinned under the grain platform. He was not breathing, had no pulse and was turning purple when emergency responders arrived at the accident scene. He also had abrasions to his chest, arms and shoulders. Police and firefighters began CPR and used a defibrillator on his heart. Gustafson was taken to Porter hospital for treatment. Police said Gustafson's breathing and heart functions were being medically assisted, but he ended up dying of his injuries.


Man dies at school construction site

OCT 20, SIOUX FALLS, SD - A 51-year-old male construction worker died this afternoon after a crane fell on him at a school construction site. Sgt. Galen Smidt of the Sioux Falls Police Department said a welder was working on a wall at the new elementary school under construction. Nearby a crane began to sink into the ground and eventually fell on top of the worker. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital. "People were seeing what was going on and yelling at him but he couldn't see or hear them because of his mask," Scmidt said.


Construction worker dies in Fayette

OCT 20, LUZERNE, PA - Construction worker Gilbert Eutsey, 58, of Dawson, died Monday afternoon in while working on the Mon-Fayette Expressway Uniontown-to-Brownsville project. The employee worked for Butler County company Mashuda Corp., which won a $61 million, three-year contract in June to build 1.83 miles of the expressway, commission spokesman Joe Agnello said. Agnello said the employee was cleaning a chipping machine, but it was not on at the time of the incident. The coroner said Mr. Eutsey died from compression asphxiation after he became pinned by a piece of machinery. Coworkers performed CPR but were unable to revive him.


Worker crushed by crane

OCT 20, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Oklahoma City police say a man was killed when the crane he was working in fell and crushed him. The as-yet unidentified worker was employed by California-based Delgar Remodeling. Police say the man was painting a garage in the crane - known as a "cherry picker" - when it fell about 9:15 Monday morning. No other injuries were reported and police say the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate the accident.


Worker dies on last day at SC State Fair

OCTOBER 19, COLUMBIA, SC - Jeff Doucleff, an attraction worker at the South Carolina State Fair, was killed on the final day of the event when he was struck by the ride. Doucleff was a traveling fair worker and was in a secured area away from the public when the accident happened. General manager Gary Goodman said no riders on the Inverter at the time saw the incident, and that the details leading up to the accident were unclear. The ride was closed for the rest of the day as officials investigated. An autopsy was scheduled Monday. American Midway Entertainment spokeswoman Amber Swedgan said the Inverter is a platform ride that seats about 30 people in a car and flips them upside down.


2 Sugar beet truck driver killed in separate incidents

OCTOBER 17/18, ROCHESTER, MN - Two sugar beet truck drivers were killed in separate road accidents near the Minnesota-North Dakota Border this weekend. On Friday, driver Daniel Shelstad, 56, of Fargo, was killed when his truck collided with a semi-trailer. 30 miles away, Saturday morning, a beet piler repair truck went off the road and rolled over, killing the driver. That man's name has not yet been released.


Lawrenceburg man killed in forklift accident

OCT 16, LAWRENCEBURG, KY — The state is investigating the death of a man in a workplace accident in Anderson County. Donald David Soard, 34, of Lawrenceburg died Thursday after a load of steel rebar shifted on a forklift and fell onto him at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Over the Top Rope Inc., a company that builds wrestling rings. An investigator with the Cabinet's Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Program is investigating the accident.


Caltrans worker dies after crash

OCT 16, RED BLUFF, CA — An unidentified California Department of Transportation worker was killed Thursday when his SUV collided with a big rig, Red Bluff police and Caltrans reported. Police have not released the victim's name pending notification of family. The man's vehicle was eastbound on Hess Road, which ends at a T-­intersection with Main Street. He pulled out onto Main about 11:30 a.m. and was struck by the southbound truck, the police report said. The driver died at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital. Caltrans spokeswoman Denise Yergenson confirmed the vehicle's driver was a 55-year-old construction engineer doing survey work for a new maintenance station.


Worker dies in Concord plant accident

OCTOBER 16, CONCORD, NC - A Philip Morris employee injured nearly two weeks ago by a conveyer belt system inside the company's Concord plant has died of his injuries. Sean Morrison was rushed to the hospital by firefighters after he was found unresponsive on October 8th. The incident is being investigated. It is the first fatality at the Concord plant since it opened in 1983, said a spokesperson.


Worker killed after falling into machine

OCT 16, CAMARILLO, CA - A worker at a lighting manufacturing company in Simi Valley died after falling into an industrial die-casting machine Thursday morning. Ventura County firefighters had to pull Jose Ayala, 47, of Simi Valley, from the machine at the Vista Lighting Co. authorities said. Ayala suffered severe head trauma and "was in full cardiac arrest when he was removed," according to a statement from the Simi Valley Police Department. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by firefighters to revive him.


Irrigation Worker Dies in San Joaquin Drowning
OCT 16, SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, CA - A Woodbridge Irrigation District employee working on a fish screen died after drowning in a canal along the Mokelumne River Thursday, according to San Joaquin County sheriff's officials. The man apparently lost a piece of equipment in the canal along Lower Sacramento Road and jumped in to the water to retrieve it. Co-workers noticed he showed signs in distress, but the man went under the water before help could get to him. Authorities said he was underwater for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. The victim was taken to Lodi Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The victim's identity was not immediately released pending family notification.


Pilot Served In Vietnam, Survived Several Crashes

OCTOBER 15, CARMEL, IN - An Indiana man killed when the helicopter he was piloting crashed outside Chicago late Wednesday was remembered by friends and family in Carmel as a war hero who loved his job. Dell Waugh 69, was among four people who died when an Air Angels helicopter transporting a 1-year-old girl to a Chicago children's hospital clipped a radio tower guy wire and went down in an Aurora, IL, cornfield, investigators said. Waugh - who lived in Carmel with his adult son, Brad Waugh - was a regular at the local VFW post. Friends there learned of the crash Thursday morning. "[Brad] came to tell me he lost his father and I'd already found out, so we cried together and I just told him that everybody loved Dell and that he did what he was doing and that was the job he loved," waitress Tammy Lee told 6News' Renee Jameson.


2 construction workers killed on NJ Turnpike

OCT 16, ELIZABETH, NJ - New Jersey State Police say a motorist fell asleep at the wheel and killed two construction workers on the New Jersey Turnpike in Elizabeth Thursday. The driver managed to negotiate a toll booth before his SUV entered a construction area and veered off the roadway just north of Interchange 13A around 12:15 a.m. His vehicle hit a truck before pinning the two workers against a second truck. Steven Sprague, 28, of Toms River and Richard Brady, 35, of Neptune were pronounced dead at the scene. No charges have been filed against the Brooklyn, N.Y., resident.


Female Store Clerk Shot, Killed During Robbery

OCTOBER 15, BAINBRIDGE, GA - Police are investigating a deadly shooting that happened around 10 p.m. last night at a convenience store in Bainbridge, Georgia. Clerk Datta Atul Dave took one shot to the chest as her husband and a witness looked on. She later died at a local hospital. Bainbridge police are searching for the murder weapon. An employee at the diner next door says he saw a silver SUV pull out with a man in a mask. The shooter is described as a black male, wearing a hood over his head with the eyes cut out, short pants, black shoes with white socks. He is between 5'10' and 6' with a slender build.


Granite Worker Killed in Construction Accident

OCTOBER 16, LUBBOCK, TX - A Granite Construction worker was killed Thursday afternoon shortly after 1:00 pm, near 34th and Bangor. A a large piece of concrete fell from a backhoe, crushing Larry Franco, 36, of Lubbock. It appears that that hydraulics on the backhoe may have given out.


Cab driver shot and killed following carjacking in Landover

OCTOBER 15, GAITHERSBURG, MDMD - Cab driver Tekola "Shorty" Bekele of Silver Spring was shot during a Landover carjacking Wednesday night. Police were called to the scene around 11:23 p.m., where they discovered Mr. Bekele suffering from an upper body gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital but did not survive his injury. Police believe the suspect was picked up in the District and driven to Prince George's County, where he shot Mr. Bekele. He is to be charged with first-degree murder.


Worker killed in industrial accident

OCT 14, LOUISVILLE, KY -Gary G. Crow, 59, was electrocuted Tuesday afternoon in an industrial accident at southwest Louisville plant. MetroSafe Communications received a call shortly after 2 p.m. reporting a possible electrocution at the Citgo Petroleum plant. Emergency crews found a construction lift that was tangled in high voltage power lines. The lift was tangled in the lines for several hours and Louisville Gas and Electric crews had to cut power to the lines before the lift could be moved and Mr. Crow's body recovered.


Concord-area BART service restored after morning accident kills track worker

OCT 14, SAN FRANCISCO, CA - A BART track worker was killed Tuesday morning when he was struck from behind by a train. James Strickland, 44, was inspecting structures along the track when the train hit him about 9:30 a.m. The accident occurred on the Pittsburg-Bay Point tracks along Minert Road near the Concord-Walnut Creek border. A preliminary investigation indicated that an eastbound train hit Strickland. At the time of the accident, all BART trains along the line were sharing the San Francisco-bound track. A section of eastbound track was closed by a maintenance crew, according to the transit agency.


2nd man dies from injuries at AstraZeneca work site

OCTOBER 13, WALTHAM, MA — A second man involved in Friday’s industrial accident at a construction site on the campus of pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has died from his injuries, according to Waltham Police. One man died instantly and the second was seriously injured after a hydraulic lift they were in toppled over Friday morning inside AstraZeneca’s campus at 35 Gatehouse Drive. Waltham Police Detective Lt. Brian Navin said Christopher Beste, 30, of Manchester, NH, died yesterday at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston. His co-worker Peter Marchese, 40, of Nashua, NH, was pronounced dead at the scene Friday morning by paramedics.


Friends mourn DPS officer killed in hiker rescue

OCTOBER 13, PHOENIX,AZ - Friends are remembering an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer who was killed in Sedona Monday afternoon while rescuing two stranded hikers. The victim is identified as Bruce Harrolle, 36, of Mesa, a nine-year veteran of DPS who served as both an officer and a medic during his tenure. A DPS Air Rescue Ranger Helicopter based in Flagstaff responded to a request from the Sedona Fire Department and the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office to help the dehydrated hikers stuck on Bear Mountain. As Harrolle was escorting one of the patients into the chopper, he was struck by one of the helicopter's rotor blades and fatally injured, DPS Lt. James Warriner said.


Employee Dies In Texas College Shooting, 62-Year-Old Man In Custody, School Official Says

OCT 13, SAN ANTONIO, TX - A 38-year-old employee of Northeast Lakeview College was shot and killed in the campus library Monday afternoon by another employee, according to Kay Hendricks, coordinator of communication for the college. The gunman, a 62-year-old part-time employee of the college, was in police custody, Hendricks said. The campus canceled classes at both campuses Monday and Tuesday, local station KSAT reported.


Car with teen behind wheel runs red light, kills cabbie in San Mateo

OCT 13, SAN MATEO, CA - An intoxicated teenage driver ran a red light in San Mateo this morning and broadsided a taxicab, killing the driver, then fled as flames engulfed his car where two other teenagers were trapped, police said.Police were able to pull the badly injured youths from the burning Volkswagen Jetta on El Camino Real near Hillsdale Shopping Center, but there was nothing they could do for the cabdriver, 48-year-old Michael Earl Prescott of Redwood City. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident happened at 6:15 a.m. when the 16-year-old driver of the Volkswagen ran a red light and hit the Yellow Cab, which was carrying no passengers, police Capt. Kevin Raffaelli said. The Jetta driver ran, leaving behind two passengers - a 15-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy - who were trapped in the car, police said. The Jetta then burst into flames. Police who arrived on the scene managed to pull the youths through the fire and out of the car.


Channel 13 chopper crash kills 2 in Montgomery County

OCT 13, HOUSTON, TX - A pilot and photographer who were working for Houston TV station KTRK Channel 13 died late this morning when their helicopter crashed in thick woods in Montgomery County. The ABC affiliate confirmed that the aircraft's two occupants, who were employed by contractors, were killed in the crash. The station said it lost contact with the helicopter about 11:15 a.m. The two men were identified as pilot John Downhower, 43, and photographer Dave Garrett, 36. No information is yet available on what caused the crash, which occurred as the two were on their way to report on a shooting at a location about four miles from the crash site.


Victim identified in fatal work-related accident

OCT 11, RABBITTOWN, GA - The man who died Saturday in an accident at a Rabbittown business has been identified as Ronald Hart, 37, of Gainesville. Fire Marshal Scott Cagle said crews responded to reports of a man trapped under some lumber at Daves Goody Barn on Old Cornelia Highway. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Cagle said. A Hall County Sheriff?s Office investigation determined the death was accidental. Lumber was being put on a shelf and the shelf gave way, killing Mr. Hart, who was a store employee.


Employee killed on scooter rode between schools

OCT 10, AVON, OH -Police are investigating an accident that killed 41-year-old Robert Bueck, father, husband and school district employee. A driver failed to see Bueck's scooter as she made a left turn across the northbound lane of Stoney Ridge Road onto Kinzel Road on Friday. Bueck was taken to the Avon Emergency Care Center, where he died from injuries received in the crash. Mr. Bueck operated his scooter between school buildings during work as the district's network administrator. The accident has school officials reeling, as they have also lost a library aide, 54-year-old Bonnie Horvath, to a four-year battle with cancer last week.


Second Bayer employee dies from August explosion

OCT 10, CHARLESTON, WV- A second victim has died from injuries suffered during the August 28th explosion at the Bayer CropScience plant in Institute. Bill Oxley died Friday at a burn center in Pittsburgh. Fellow plant worker Barry Withrow was killed the night of the explosion."Bill was a much admired and valued member of our Bayer CropScience family," said Nick Crosby, site leader at the plant. "He will be very much missed by all of his friends and colleagues." Federal, state and local officials are investigating the explosion. The Bayer CropScience plant in Institute received eight serious and two willful citations from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration during an inspection in 2005.


One dead in Waltham construction accident

OCT 10, WALTHAM, NY - A 40-year-old worker died this morning when a lift fell at a construction site on the AstraZeneca pharmaceutical company campus. Another man, a 30-year-old construction worker, was also injured and taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Police would not provide the names of either construction worker, but they said the younger man suffered life-threatening injuries. Detective Lieutenant Brian Navin of the Waltham Police Department said the incident occurred shortly after 11 a.m. when a lift carrying the men began to tip. The men, who were in a basket in the lift, plunged about 30 feet as the lift collapsed. Navin said he was unsure what caused the lift to topple. He said the names of the men would not be released until all relatives have been notified. Scott Young, a spokesman for AstraZeneca, said the men were installing aluminum panels on the side of one of the two new buildings under construction at their research campus.



Police identify man killed in industrial accident at former Tultex Corp. complex

OCT 10, MARTINSVILLE, VA - A Danville man was killed in an industrial accident Friday morning at the former Tultex Corp. complex in Martinsville. Carl Wayne Turner, 54, was attempting to remove a large air conditioning unit from the roof of a building used for warehousing when the load shifted and the unit pressed against him, according to city spokesman Scott Coleman. Turner was pinned between the air conditioner and an exterior wall and suffered “massive trauma to the head and upper chest.” He died at the scene. Turner was working with at least one other person when the accident occurred, Coleman said. Officials have not determined what caused the incident, the release said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.


Identity Revealed of Man Killed at North Iowa Job Site

OCT 9, GRAFTON, IA - We now know the name of the construction worker killed a north Iowa wind farm. Dick Hamilton, 46, of Tishmingo, Oklahoma died after he was run over by a forklift. It happened at a Barton Windmill project about 20 miles northeast of Mason City. The Worth County Sheriff's Department says he was an employee of Wanzek Construction. I-OSHA will determine if the business is at fault.


South Georgia Wildcats employee killed in wreck

OCT 9, ALBANY, GA (WALB) - 19-year-old Donnie Brock died early Thursday morning after a wreck in Warner Robins. Brock, the Wildcats' equipment manager, lost control of his car and struck a house. He was taken to the Houston County Medical Center where he died. A passenger, 19-year-old Brian Tibbs, is being treated at the Medical Center of Central Georgia. The residents of the house were asleep at the time of the wreck and were not injured.


Deputy directing traffic hit by car dies

OCT 9, WATKINSVILLE, GA - An Oconee County sheriff's deputy died late Thursday after a car struck him as he directed morning traffic outside Oconee County Primary School. Patrol Deputy David Gilstrap, 49, was hit about 7:25 a.m. while standing in front of the school's entrance. He was pronounced dead at 10:25 p.m. at St. Mary's Hospital in Athens after a period on life support, according to Oconee County Coroner John Simpson. The Georgia State Patrol is investigating the collision. The car's driver, a 62-year-old Watkinsville woman, has not been charged, pending the end of the investigation, said state patrol Lt. Paul Cosper.


Worker Killed In Brooklyn Explosion, Partner Injured

OCT 9, NEW YORK, NY - A Consolidated Edison worker was killed and another injured in a manhole explosion while they were splicing cables on Thursday in Brooklyn. George Dillman, 26 (left in photo) was working at the intersection of Euclid and Sutter Avenues in East New York when the explosion occured. Dillman's partner, Craig Penney, 28, (at right) had just returned to their truck when the blast occured. Penney grabbed a ladder off the truck and lowered it into the manhole, but it ignited and began burning; he grabbed a fire extinguisher to battle the blaze but heat and smoke prevented him from getting near the manhole opening. Said an observer who was trying to get Mr. Penney away from the hole when an explosion occurred: “He’s hollering, ‘George, George, oh my God.’... He fell to his knees crying.” Mr. Dillman was pronounced dead at the scene. There were more than a dozen live wires in the manhole, some of them carrying 27,000 volts, which prevented firefighters from recovering Dillman's body for almost two hours. Penney was hospitalized in critical condition with burns. The cause of the accident is under investigation.



Worker Dies When Truck Touches Live Wire

OCT 9, CHILLICOTHE, OH - An accident took life of an All American Electric worker Thursday morning. Douglas Mace, 37, of Nelsonville, was setting a pole for residents who were getting ready to move into a new home when his bucket truck came in contact with a live power line shortly after 8:30 a.m. Mr. Mace was pronounced dead on the scene.


Police identify worker found dead

OCT 9, RICHMOND, VA - Henrico County police have released the name of a man found dead yesterday (Oct 8) at a construction site in eastern Henrico. They identified him today as Rocky Lane, 50, of Mechanicsville. Police and emergency personnel were called to the construction site of the Trinity Baptist Family Center shortly before 2:30 p.m., said Lt. Doug Perry. Lane was found non-responsive by others at the site, police said. He had fallen off scaffolding, authorities said. The state medical examiner's office has not determined the cause and manner of death.


Clothing store employee killed over purchase

OCT 8, KNOXVILLE, TN — Police say a customer in a Knoxville mall fatally shot a clothing store employee because he was upset about a previous clothing purchase. Knoxville police said suspect William Johnson, 42, went to the Knoxville Center Mall on Wednesday, got into a dispute at Reno Mens Wear, pulled out a handgun and shot employee Ahmed Nahl, 29. Johnson was shot by police. He is charged with murder and is recovering in a hospital.


Newlywed and New Dad Killed by Explosion

OCT 8, HONOLULU, HI - Welding contractor Sean Norva was welding stairs and a railing on to a tank designed to hold 9,500 gallons of recycled oil when it exploded Wednesday, throwing him 100 feet. He died from multiple internal injuries. Mr. Norva and his bride of 2 weeks had been planning a birthday party for their son, Kellen, who turns one next month. The cause of the explosion is unknown. "He was a good father, a good husband, a good brother and a good son to all of us," said Gretchen Guillermo, Norva’s sister.


Surveillance Tape Shows York County Robbers That Killed Clerk

OCT 8, PINEVILLE, SC - Joey Fatigato took an offer he couldn't refuse - the chance to move south and start a business with friends he'd known most of his life. But only five months after he left Chicago for Pineville, Fatigato was shot and killed in a robbery Wednesday - even though the perpetrators had already gotten what they wanted. "He was really a great man," said Neil Schneider, who had known Fatigato for 25 years. Schneider said the friendly, always happy man had been a tradesman most of his life, doing all kinds of different work. Running a pay-day lending business was a way to start fresh and do something new.


1 person killed in WV mine

OCT 8, PRENTER, WV - Apprentice miner Steven Cain, 32, of Comfort, died after being pinned between the wall and a supply car at Massey Energy's Justice No. 1 mine in Boone County late Wednesday, said Jama Jarrett, a spokeswoman for the state Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training. Cain worked for contractor Mountaineer Labor Solutions. He is survived by a wife and two young children. His death was the second death in three weeks of a contractor at a Massey Energy operation in West Virginia, according to state officials.


Dermott Man Killed in Portland Industrial Accident

OCT 7, HAMBURG, AR - A Dermott man was killed Tuesday night following an industrial accident at GPS Cotton Gin on Highway 165 in Portland. Ismael "Smiley" Garcia, 53, of Dermott, was loading his truck with cotton seed when the hopper became clogged. Garcia, who was standing in his trailer, apparently attempted to use a pole to unstop the hopper when seed poured out and buried him beneath 8 to 10 feet of seed. Hartshorn said the accident was discovered by GPS employees around 11:45 p.m., and that Garcia had remained beneath the seed approximately three hours. Mr. Garcia's obituary is available here.


Channahon man falls to his deathat ExxonMobil refinery

OCT 7, JOLIET, IL - An autopsy will be performed tomorrow on the body of a construction worker who died today when he fell at the ExxonMobil refinery in Channahon Township. Ralph Lowdermilk, 63, of Channahon, was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. Tuesday in the emergency room at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center. The Will County Sheriff's Department said Lowder-milk fell about 45 feet while inspecting stacks at the refinery. The sheriff's department indicated there were safety lines on the stacks and Lowdermilk had a utility belt. Exactly what occurred to cause Lowdermilk to fall is under investigation.


Electrocution at Mushroom Plant

OCT 7, MARYSVILLE, CA - Gerald Bookout, 41, of Marysville, was killed about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday while doing electrical work on a cold-storage unit at Premier Mushrooms LP, according to Colusa County sheriff's Sgt. Kevin Erdelt. Deputies and firefighters responded to reports of the accident within 15 minutes, but Bookout died at the scene. Cal OSHA, has opened an investigation into Bookout's death, according to spokesman Dean Fryer, who said the victim apparently touched a live 480-volt line.


Johnson Controls worker dies at plant

OCT 6, ST. JOSEPH, MO - A Johnson Controls Battery Division employee died during a grievance meeting Monday at the plant. Darrin Grable, 47, of Rushville, died Monday. “It was not related to anything he was doing on the job,” said Becky Fitzgerald, global communications director for Johnson Controls. The exact cause of death is not known, said Dannin Grable, Mr. Grable’s sister. Family members are concerned that stress from work may have contributed to the death. Mr. Grable performed maintenance on the production line and had worked for Johnson Controls for 27 years, Ms. Grable said. “He was good at what he did, and he did things correctly,” she said. Mr. Grable, a union steward at the plant, had been suspended last Friday, and was attending a grievance meeting when he died.