Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Cab Driver Dies in Crash

September 26, BAY SHORE, NY - 55 year old Leon Williams, a driver for Tommy's Taxi, died Sunday morning in a crash. Williams was on duty, but had no passengers, when he lost control of the cab and ran into a utility pole. An investigation is ongoing.


Man Dies After Altercation With Another

September 26, KENSINGTON, PA - 30 year old Ray Santiago, a driver for Saini's Towing, was killed after another tow-truck driver allegedly struck him with his tow-truck after an argument in Kensington. Police tell NBCPhiladelphia another tow truck driver who works for the Straight Up Towing ran over Santiago several times after an argument. The man faces several charges including homicide by vehicle.


Motor Carrier Inspector Killed in Crash

September 26, WAYNE CO, IN - 64 year old Robert E. Pitcher of Pershing was killed Sunday in a head-on crash with a car hauler that closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 in Wayne County, police said. Pitcher was on duty and hauling a piece of equipment utilized for testing brakes of commercial motor vehicles, when he, for an unknown reason, hit a guardrail, crossed the median and struck a tractor-trailer hauling eight cars.


Kansas Man Dies When Semi Hit by Train

September 25, MANHATTAN, KS - 51 year old Paul Cross died when his semi was hit by a train Saturday. Cross had stopped his semi at the railroad tracks just north of K-61 and North East 30 Avenue Saturday afternoon. He then pulled forward in front of the oncoming train, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol accident report. The train was unable to stop and hit the vehicle on the driver side door.


Man Killed Working on Heavy Equipment

September 25, MCFARLAND, CA - 49 year old Jose Luis Esquivel of Orland was killed Saturday in an industrial accident. He was crushed while doing repairs on the hydraulic system of a pistachio harvester.


Jockey Killed During Race

September 25, HOBBS, NM - 44 year old Mark Anthony Villa suffered fatal injuries when the horse he was riding fell. According to his wife Krystal, Villa was trying to crawl under the rail to safety when another horse raced by - it's hoof hit Villa in the back of the head and kicked off his helmet. Krystal told ABC-7 Villa began riding when he was 16-years-old and won more than 1700 races.


Landscaper Mowing Grass Killed by Train

September 25, ROSENBERG, TX - 19 year old Walter Barcenas was mowing grass near some railroad tracks when he was struck and killed Saturday morning. According to police, Barcenas was mowing grass along the railroad line when a BNSF train struck him. He was working with a landscape crew. An investigation continues into the accident.


Tree Trimmer Killed on the Job

September 25, TAMPA, FL - 44 year old Miguel Varas was killed while trimming trees. He became entangled in the rope that was wrapped in the tree branches. The victim fought for his life, but unfortunately, the force of the rope pulling against him caused his fatal injuries. He was not pulled into the chipper.


Firefighter Dies in Line of Duty

September 24, NEW CHURCH, VA - 54 year old William "Hal" Harold Clark died while battling a large brush fire in the town of New Church on the Eastern Shore. No details as to how Clark died or why is available at this time.


Man Killed in Explosion Testing Equipment

September 24, LAFAYETTE, LA - 27 year old Justin Wood of Gretna was killed after an explosion during an oil field equipment test on Friday. State Police say a piece of equipment exploded during a pressure test at a company called Supreme Services. Workers were using nitrogen to conduct the test. Wood was killed when a piece of pipe blew off during the explosion and struck him.


Ohio Firefighter Dies Battling Blaze

September 24, LONDONDERRY, OH - 26 year old Ryan Seitz of Vinton County was killed Friday battling a brush fire in Ross County. He was killed when an end cap blew off a pressurized metal tank and struck him. The tank was being used to fight fires that broke out between Ross-Vinton County lines. Seitz worked for the McArthur Fire Department in Vinton County.


Man Dies When Farm Tractor Rolls Backwards

September 24, BUSHNEL, NE - Marty Webb of Dix died when a tractor he was working on rolled over him. Police say Webb was doing some welding on the machine when it rolled back over him. The tractor was not running at the time.


Tow Truck Driver Struck and Killed

September 24, SEATTLE, WA - 51 year old William Anthony "Tony" Padilla from Burien, working for GT Towning in Seattle, was struck and killed on an entrance ramp while working on a vehicle from an earlier collision. Padilla was kneeling down at the left front side of a disabled vehicle when a south bound car lost control in the HOV lane. The car then crossed five southbound lanes and struck Padilla. He died at the scene.


Construction Worker Killed on Job

September 24, FAIRFIELD, OH - 38 year old Terry D. Garrison of West Union was killed when a dump truck backed over him Friday night. He was standing in the construction zone on Ohio 4, when the dump truck, which was loaded with fresh asphalt, backed over him around 10 p.m., according to Fairfield Township police.


Woman Killed in Semi Crash

September 23, LAKE COUNTY, FL - 65 year old Winifred Brune of Leesburg was killed Thursday when a tractor-trailer truck she was driving crashed into a fence in Lake County, according to Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Montes. Troopers say the woman was driving west on County Road 46 in the right lane when she began drifting onto the shoulder. The truck slammed into a fence near the roadside. Montes said troopers are trying to determine if a medical condition may have caused the woman to drive off the road.


Logger Killed Working on Machine

September 23, DUNLAP, TN - 39 year old William Eric Posey of Hixon died Thursday when he became entangled in a machine he was working on. For reasons unknown he fell into the machine. No further information is given.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Fiery Crash

September 23, GOVERNMENT CAMP, OR - 54 year old Dusty Lee Mings of Vancouver, WA, a driver for Western Boxed Meat Distributors, died when his rig hit a big cow on an Oregon highway. The truck then hit some trees and burst into flames.


Worker Killed When Crushed in Equipment Accident

September 23, PENDERGRASS, GA - 50 year old Bradley Keith Marlowe was killed when he was pinned between a trailer and bulldozer Thursday. Marlowe was working on a bulldozer when a trailer that was parked on an incline rolled into Marlowe, trapping him. A witness used a pickup truck to move the trailer, but Marlowe died at the scene.


Worker Dies in Trench Collapse

September 23, DOTHAN, CT - 47 year old Ray Anthony Blackmon of Dothan was killed Thursday when the trench he was working in collapsed around him. Blackmon and another worker were laying a sewer line down behind a junior college when the trench they dug collapsed around them. The second worker is in intensive care.


Florida Worker Dies After Being Electrocuted

September 23, PALM BEACH, FL - an unidentified man, working in a condominium in Palm Beach has died after being electrocuted. The victim had been doing work in the bathroom and was found to have burn marks on his hands. He was in full cardiac arrest en route to the hospital.


Idaho Man Dies in Accident Involving Forklift

September 23, HAZELTON, ID - 36 year old Michael Louder died after he was pinned between a forklift and a potato cellar door while working Thursday morning. Jerome County sheriff’s deputies and Jerome County paramedics responded shortly after 9 a.m. in attempts to free Louder and revive him. Despite their efforts and assistance from air ambulance paramedics, Louder died at the scene.


Worker Killed When Forklift Overturns

September 22, PHOENIX, AZ - an unidentified employee of a Phoenix Recycling facility is dead after a forklift rolled onto him. Authorities believe the worker was operating the forklift in the backyard area when it collided with a front loader. The larger piece of equipment knocked the forklift over and in the process, the operator fell out of the lift and the forklift rolled onto him and killed him.


Tractor Trailer Crash Kills One

September 22, MEMPHIS, TN - an unidentified 57 year old tractor trailer driver from North Carolina was killed when the truck he was riding in crashed on Interstate 40 near Midtown Memphis, police said. The victim was on his break in the sleeper section of the cab. A preliminary investigation found that the driver lost control of the eastbound truck, causing it to flip over and slide along the pavement edge of the exit ramp for traffic heading north on the interstate loop. The truck hit a guardrail, and the cab struck a support pier for a flyover overpass, police said. Both the victim and driver were found outside the cab of the truck. UPDATE: Authorities have identified the victim as Milton Arthur Daugherty from Englewood, FL.


Farmer Dies in Accident While Clearing Trees

September 22, NATALIE, VA - 73 year old Gene Raymond "Baby" Crews of Lennig Road died at the scene from injuries sustained when he was struck in the head by a tree limb. “A witness who saw what happened said Mr. Crews was bush hogging, and he was knocking down some tree limbs with the loader,” Sheriff Noblin said. “One of the limbs came back and struck him in the head, knocking him off the tractor.”


Construction Worker Dies After Support Beam Gives Way

September 22, BENTON HARBOR, IN - a 47 year old construction worker was killed when a support beam in the building he was working in gave way and knocked him off his ladder. According to authorities, a support beam fell and hit the worker and took out his 12-foot ladder. The victim fell from the ladder onto acetylene tanks. When he fell on the tanks, Connell said it caused internal injuries to the worker.


Business Owner Found Dead

September 21, CHINO, CA - Lenny Woods was found dead at the Chino Hills Ford car dealership that he owned for many years before having to close it after extreme financial difficulties. Friends and employees of Woods said he was found dead inside the dealership after apparently committing suicide. At the time, Woods was distraught over the loss of his life's work.


Man Dies When Truck Overturns

September 21, CARLSBAD, NM - 29 year old Marcus Perez was killed Tuesday evening when the brine water-filled truck he was driving rolled, throwing him out of the cab. Investigating officers concluded that Perez was approaching a right hand bend in the roadway. He was unable to negotiate the turn at the speed he was driving, and as a result, the 2004 Mack semi-truck and trailer entered the southbound lane of traffic and then over-corrected to the right, causing the semi-truck to go into a skid. The weight of the brine water in the tanker trailer caused the truck to roll over, subsequently throwing Perez from the cab.


Second Ohio Realtor Victim of Homicide

September 21, KENT, OH - 51 year old Andrew VonStein, a realtor for Cutler Realty, was found dead under "suspicious circumstances" after he was reported missing. Authorities located his car via OnStar at a vacant house and upon checking the residence deputies found his body inside the house. His death is being investigated as a homicide but have not released the manner of his death.


Sheriff's Deputy Dies in Crash

September 21, TAMPA, FL - 48 year old Mark A. Longway of Hillsboro, a Hillsboro Sheriff's Deputy, died from injuries sustained in a crash involving a tractor trailer in downtown Tampa. Authorities say Longway and the truck collided early Tuesday morning in an intersection near an interstate overpass. One of the cars had a red light, but authorities did not immediately say who was at fault. The deputy's cruiser was under the semi and he died at the scene.


AT&T Employee Dies on the Job

September 21, COLUMBUS, OH - 52 year old Bryan R. Green of Pataskala was found crushed to death Tuesday morning. According to Columbus police, the worker’s van crushed him when he was working on an AT&T distribution box. The victim’s van was not in parking gear, police said. His van trapped him against the cable-company box. A homeless person found the victim’s body. He went for a help and called 911.


Deputy Fire Chief Dies After Training Exercise

September 20, HINSDALE, IL - Mark Johnson, Deputy Fire Chief for the Hinsdale Fire Department, had just returned from an emergency services call and was taking part in physical training when he collapsed. On duty members tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the Hinsdale Hospital emergency room.


Realtor in Ohio Found Dead

September 20, KENT, OH - 67 year old Vivian Martin, owner of Essence Realty, who was showing a vacant house for sale, was found dead on the kitchen floor in the burning home Monday in Youngstown, said police chief Jimmy Hughes. An autopsy showed she was strangled before the home burned down, and the fire was ruled an arson. Martin's death may be related to a robbery of another realtor a week before and again to the death of another agent Tuesday. Two male suspects have been arrested.


State Trooper Dies in Crash

September 20, BOWIE, TX - 56 year old Cpl. David Ralph Slaton, a trooper for the Texas Dept.of Public Safety, was killed Monday night after hitting a cow and then colliding head-on with a tractor-trailer in Montague County. The impact (of hitting the cow) pushed his vehicle into the northbound lanes, where he hit a southbound semi, said Tela Mange, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Slaton died at the scene.


High School Teacher Dies Unexpectedly

September 20, IRINE, CA - 46 year old Kent Bentley, a Woodbridge High School English teacher collapsed and died in his classroom during lunch break on Monday. A group of students was walking by his classroom and spotted Bentley on the ground. A staff member tried to provide CPR but was unable to revive Bentley, according to Irvine Unified spokesman Ian Hanigan.


Worker Dies in Forklift Accident

September 20, ARDMORE, OK - 36 year old Jason Chastain died Monday after a forklift accident at DOT Foods in Ardmore. Chastain hit something with his forklift and became pinned. A full investigation has been launched.


Postal Worker Dies When Van Hit by Train

September 20, MOBILE, AL - 64 year old Nathan Williams III was killed when the truck he was driving was struck by a freight train in southern Washington County. Williams was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the truck when the southbound Norfolk Southern railway freight train hit it.


Man on Way to Make Deposit, Killed in Robbery

September 20, WOONSOCKET, RI - 49 year old David Main was shot and killed outside a Rhode Island bank on Monday. Main was shot in the head by a man in a black mask who took off by foot. Main was a gas station manager and was at the bank to make a company deposit. Police and the FBI are searching for two suspects.


Man Electrocuted Dismantling Light Poles

September 20, PORT ORANGE, FL - 59 year old Wade Leonard Madole of Boynton Beach, was killed when he grabbed a live wire, according to Port Orange's fire marshal. Madole and another man were dismantling the bases of light poles no longer needed at a food service warehouse expansion project. The electricians were pulling out wires without problems, but just after 5 p.m. Madole was trying to get out of a small hole they had dug, grabbed onto a bare wire and was electrocuted. He then went into cardiac arrest and died at a nearby hospital.


Semi Driver Killed in Fiery Crash

September 20, HACKENSACK, NJ - 45 year old Gregory Griffaton of Springfield, PA was killed early Monday morning after the vehicle careened into a guardrail on Route 17, struck a tree and burst into flames, officials said. The truck overturned on an embankment before catching fire, and a police official described the cab as “unrecognizable.” The official added that the condition of the truck was making it difficult for investigators to determine for whom Griffaton was driving.


Highway Maintenance Worker Dies From Fall

September 20, BERKLEY SPRINGS, WV - 48 year old Robert Fleece Jr. was killed after being thrown from the back of a DOH dump truck near Berkeley Springs Monday morning. State Troopers say Fleece and two others workers were on the back of the truck making sure gravel was spread evenly on a road that was being tarred. Witnesses say the truck was slowly backing up when its bed suddenly raised to maximum height and threw Fleece across the safety chain and onto the pavement where he hit his head. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital a short time later.


Taxi Driver Killed During Carjacking

September 19, LYNWOOD, CA - 56 year old Erasmo Amaral who died Sunday after being stabbed and dragged from his taxi by an apparent robber. Detectives say the suspect stabbed Amaral in the upper torso, then drove the taxi westbound on Imperial Highway while the victim clung to the outside of the driver's door. Amaral had been pinned between several vehicles as he was dragged for "quite a distance," detectives said.
The suspect turned northbound on Jackson Avenue and sideswiped the driver's side of the taxi into three parked vehicles. He then got out of the cab and fled on foot.


Explosion Kills Truck Driver Offloading Propane

September 19, ALTON, MO - 39 year old James Dewayne Smith, a driver for Huellinghoff Brothers Inc. of Union, Mo., died as a result from an explosion September 13. He was offloading propane from his tanker truck to a storage tank at Updike's Gas Service and an explosion occurred for a reason that officially remains a mystery.


Farm Tractor Flips, Killing Driver

September 19, WORCESTER, NY - 40 year old Adolph Schrull Jr died when a tractor flipped over on top of him. Schrull was attempting with a friend to remove an old steel hay rake from the brush in a field by hooking a chain to it and pulling it free. The action at some point caused the front wheels to come off the ground, said State Police, and the tractor flipped backward on to itself while Schrull was still in the driver seat of the older-model Ford 8N tractor.


Missing Campground Worker Found Dead

September 8, ATLANTA, GA - Todd Tumlin went missing on August 28th. On September 8th his body was found in the woods off Pulliam Mill Rd. near the site of River’s Edge, a gay campground where Tumlin worked. Local law enforcement investigators have ruled the death a murder and are investigating the crime as a “homicide by gunshot.”

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Trying to locate Debbie Fergen from Bishop Amat H.S. & Wescove Theater. Is this you? Please contact Denise at gr8cook@mac.com if it is.

Deb Fergen said...

No, I'm sorry. I am not the Debbie you are looking for. Sorry and hope you find her. Debi

Carol said...

Apparently, accidents at work could not be avoided 100%. This is why we should take extra precaution while working especially for a high risk profession.

Tammy said...

The families prefer to call them incidents and no not all can be prevented. As in anything we do to be successful we need knowledge. Many incidents can be prevented with the right tools and training. If you browse through you will find very few that are due to just human error, there were either precursors, untrained individuals or they were not provided the right equipment.

Anonymous said...

Terry Garrison was killed when the driver of an overloaded dump truck backed over him, this driver was in an area that he was NOT to be in.
No charges were filed agains Timothy Tomlin of Hamersville, Ohio.
One other detail the company Terry worked for told the crew they had to work with only limited lighting.
Terry left behine a wife and three young children.
COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE,UNSKILLED DRIVER OF A OVERLOADED DUMP TRUCK!

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