Friday, October 29, 2010

Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Nurse Attacked and Killed at Jail

October 28, MARTINEZ, CA - 55 year old Cynthia Palomata of El Sobrante, a longtime employee with Contra Costa Health Services, died after being attacked by an inmate of the Contra Costa County Jail Thursday. The inmate faked a seizure and Palomata rushed to his aid. The inmate then picked up a lamp and hit Palomata in the head, knocking her unconscious, authorities said. She later died at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek as a result of the attack.


Communications Technician Dies From Fall

October 28, MIDLAND, TX - 49 year old Randy Layne Gamble, a Suddenlink Communications worker died Thursday after falling from a cherry picker, according to the Midland Police Department. Initial reports are that he fell several feet from the bucket on the vehicle to the ground, but police are not sure the sequence of events that led to Gamble’s fall, a spokesperson said.


Veteran San Diego Police Officer Killed in Shoot Out

October 28, SAN DIEGO, CA - Veteran Officer Christopher Wilson who was shot while doing a probation check at a Skyline-area apartment died Thursday. Working with the U.S. Marshall's doing a probation compliance check, the officers were shot at from an individual behind a closed interior door after entering the apartment. Wilson was killed and his police dog injured. Wilson died at Scripps Mercy Hospital at about 3 a.m., and the German shepherd, Monty, underwent surgery for a wound to his snout and was expected to recover.


Gravel Truck Operator Electrocuted

October 27, BOGALUSA, LA - 49 year old Joey Robinson was electrocuted and his truck was set ablaze Wednesday morning when his raised trailer touched a power line, authorities said Thursday. Robinson was dumping gravel from the trailer of his 18-wheeler near Ochsner Boulevard in the Covington area as part of the construction of a new bypass and as he drove forward the raised trailer came in contact with the overhead power line, a sheriff spokesman said. As Robinson opened the door of the truck to exit he grabbed a metal handrail on the side of the cab, he was electrocuted and the power of the current threw him from the vehicle.


School Bus Driver Dies Two Days After Crash

October 27, STONY BROOK, NY - 56 year old Piters Calixte of Westbury, an L.I. School bus driver, has died of his injuries two days after an early morning crash involving a tanker truck on a Long Island highway. He was injured Monday morning when his school bus crashed into a tanker on Sunrise Highway in Amityville. There were no children aboard the bus when it crashed.


Woman at Work Stabbed to Death in Front of Sons

October 27, SAN FERNANDO, CA - 31 year old Sabrina Lalla-Mitchell was stabbed to death by a man she knew while at her workplace in San Fernando yesterday afternoon. It is reported that Mrs. Lalla-Mitchell picked up her children from school and took them to her workplace which was a regular occurrence. Eyewitnesses say they saw a man speaking with Mrs. Lalla-Mitchell as she sat behind her desk who then pulled out a knife and began stabbing her. She died at the scene.


Notre Dame School Videographer Dies From Fall

October 27, SOUTH BEND, IN - 20 year old Declan Sullivan, a student worker in the video department of Norte Dame University, died after the tower from which he was filming football practice fell over. Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating his death. Sullivan, a junior, died after he was transported from the university's LaBar practice complex.


Heart Attack Kills Truck Driver

October 27, LOS ANGELES, CA - 58 year old William Bradfield of Huntington Beach, is believed to have suffered a heart attack while behind the wheel of his big rig Wednesday afternoon. Bradfield was heading northbound on the 405 freeway when the truck collided with several other vehicles before it came to a stop at Santa Monica Boulevard. Bradfield was treated by paramedics at the scene, then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.


Kentucky Coal Miner Dies in Accident

October 27, RIVER VIEW, KY - 39 year old James Jeffrey Falk was killed Wednesday morning after apparently being struck by a motorized shuttle car at the River View Mine near Uniontown in Union County, the Kentucky Office of Mine Safety and Licensing (OMSL) reported. Falk was a continuous miner helper at River View and he had 4 1/2 years of mining experience, according to an OMSL spokesman. An on scene investigation is being held.


Worker Killed at Factory in Colorado

October 27, PUEBLO, CO - 21 year old John Keel of Mississippi was crushed when he became pinned between a large forklift and rail car while working at the Vestas wind turbine tower factory in Colorado. Keel worked for Transportation Technology Services Inc. based in Southlake, TX.


Road Maintenance Worker Hit and Killed

October 27, FAYETTEVILLE, NC - John Glen McLean of Erwin, one of several family members working for a company with a contract to cut grass for the state Department of Transportation, was killed by a semi truck who careened into his mower. The truck scraped two parked vehicles warning about a lane closed to protect workers ahead. The Highway Patrol says the truck then rear-ended the mowing tractor just north of Fayetteville, killing the worker just before noon Wednesday.


Worker Clearing Trees Electrocuted

October 27, ALTO, MI - A worker was clearing fallen trees near several downed power lines Wednesday evening when he touched a charged line and died, according to the Kent County Sheriff's Department. He was employed by a company contracted to remove trees and debris, according to a news release. UPDATE: Authorities have identified the worker as 36 year old Jason Thomas Green.


OK Trooper Dies From Injuries Sustained in Crash

October 26, TULSA, OK - 56 year old Capt. George Green of Sand Springs, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, has died from injuries he sustained in a traffic accident. Green suffered massive internal injuries and several broken bones on Monday when his patrol vehicle collided with a dump truck on State Highway 97 at the Turner Turnpike off-ramp in Sapulpa.


Florida Horsewoman Found Dead on Farm

October 26, OCALA, FL - 45 year old Gail Gee, died Tuesday at her Derby Daze Farm. She was found in front of a barn in her car by one of the farm's employees early Tuesday. The vehicle was still running and had driven up a small berm on the property. The car's convertible top was down, and when the employee went to investigate, he noticed Gee was not breathing and called 911. Gee was a race horse breeder.


One Man Killed After Being Hit by Airport Tram

October 26, HOUSTON, TX - an unidentified maintenance worker at Bush Intercontinental Airport was killed and another injured Tuesday when he was hit by a tram on an elevated portion of the track near the airport Marriott and Terminal B. Airport officials said both men were independent contractors with Johnson Controls doing work for Continental.  


Eye Surgeon, Technician and Pilot Die in Plane Crash

October 25, CHEHALIS, WA - 69 year old Dr. Paul Shenk of Woodland, an eye and Lasik surgeon, 43 year old Rod Rinta, a laser technician from Chehalis and 70 year old pilot Ken Sabin died Monday when their plane crashed and disintegrated on impact in rugged terrain. The plane was registered to Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute in Chehalis. Doctors and surgery teams frequently fly out of Chehalis to one of the company’s other branches, which include Lewiston and Vancouver. About 10 minutes into the flight, the pilot of the twin-engine Cessna radioed that he was turning back because he lost power in one engine.


Ohio Farmer Killed When Tractor Overturns

October 25, THORNVILLE, OH - 61 year old Thomas J. Williams was killed Monday when he was pinned by his tractor, the Fairfield County sheriff's office said. He was pinned by a tractor that he was using to clear brush and logs when the tractor rolled on its side about 6:30 p.m.


OR State Biologist Killed in Crash

October 25, NEWPORT, OR - 52 year old Tamara "Tami" Wagner of Lincoln City died at the scene of a vehicle accident, according to Oregon State Police Lt. Mike Turner. She was an Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife biologist. A chain reaction involving several vehicles caused a collision with Wagner's westbound Chevy pickup.


Texas Deputy Dies in Cruiser Crash

October 25, LIBERTY, TX - 43 year old Odell McDuffie Jr of LaPorte, an Officer for the Liberty County Police Dept died Monday after his patrol car smashed into a grove of trees and exploded into flames before he could escape, authorities said. McDuffie had driven a juvenile to the Hardin County Juvenile Detention Center and was heading back on FM 770 when he apparently over corrected after swerving off the roadway near Saratoga in an undeveloped portion of the Big Thicket, investigators said. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers were still reconstructing the accident Tuesday to determine exactly what happened.


Shrimper Dies When Boat Capsizes

October 25, MAYPORT, FL - 57 year old Bruce Christ died when rough waters off the coast of Amelia Island caused the shrimp boat he was on to sink. Mr. Christ and the captain were able to escape through a window as the vessel sank. The Coast Guard said some Good Samaritans came to help and pull the boaters from the ocean, but only the captain survived.


Road Construction Worker Struck and Killed

October 25, SANTA ROSA, FL - 42 year old Darrell D. Perkins of Pensacola had just set up a reflective barrel while setting up a lane closure on U.S. Highway 98 near the intersection of Woodlawn Beach Road Monday night. He was walking away when he was struck by a hit and run driver. He was propelled forward by the impact, the report said. The driver who killed Perkins was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with DUI manslaughter, driving while license was suspended in an accident involving death and leaving the scene of a fatal crash, according to a Florida Highway Patrol media release.


Trucker Dies of Medical Incident

October 25, NASHVILLE, TN - 69 year old Tommy Hawkins of Ten Mile died of a probably medical episode shortly after crashing his semi on Interstate 40 earlier today. Witnesses reported that Hawkins’ truck inexplicably crossed traffic lanes on I-40, struck the guardrail and continued to careen into the shoulder before stopping. He died at Summit Medical Center shortly after crashing his rig.


Worker Dies in Fall When Roof Collapses

October 25, WINSLOW, GA - 32 year old Carlos E. Martinez of Lilburn was killed Monday after falling 40 feet due to a roof collapse at a warehouse here. He was removing the roof at a CertainTeed Corp. facility in the 200 block of New Brooklyn Road when the accident occurred around 10:30 a.m., according to Winslow police. Martinez died later in the day at Virtua Berlin. Police identified Martinez as an employee of Labor Only Recovery.


Police Officer Dies in Single Car Crash

October 25, TEANECK, NJ - 37 year old John Abraham was killed when his car slammed into a telephone pole - just hours after he saved the life of a choking man. was working overtime in Teaneck when he was involved in a one-car accident right outside police headquarters. Abraham is being considered a hero for his actions of giving life saving measures to an elderly restaurant patron who was choking, just hours before his fatal crash.


Man Crushed When Tractor Flips

October 24, MENDOTA, CA - 21 year old Armando D. Guzman of Mendota, a worker for Paramount Farms near Kettleman City, was killed when a tractor he was driving flipped and crushed him Sunday afternoon in Kings County.


Firefighter Found Dead Inside His Station

October 24, MARSHALL, MO - 36 year old Randall Scott Davenport was found dead inside his fire station on Sunday. Davenport had worked two structure fires one day earlier in Marshall and Saline County before he died at the firehouse. Information about his cause of death was not immediately available, according to the newspaper.


LA Police Officer Gunned Down

October 24, SHREVEPORT, LA - 44 year old Tim Prunty, a Sergeant for the Shreveport Police Dept was fatally shot early Sunday morning. Prunty was checking on a business before dawn Sunday when a man drove up to the officer and opened fire. A suspect has been charged with one count of first-degree murder.


Psychiatric Hospital Employee Murdered by Patient

October 23, NAPA, CA - 54 year old Donna Gross of Concord, a psychiatric technician for Napa State Hospital, was found slain a little after 6 p.m. Saturday in an enclosed courtyard after she failed to return from a dinner break and failed to return to work, authorities said. A patient with an extensive criminal history, was arrested in connection with her slaying, Napa County Sheriff's Department said in a written statement released Sunday. Gross was attacked outside, so her personal alarm would not have functioned, said Brad Leggs, the Napa State Hospital chapter president of the psychiatric technicians group.


Worker Drowns at LNG Plant in MD

October 23, LUSBY, MD - 45 year old Mark Eugene Copeland of Palmetto, FL died Saturday at approximately 11:34 a.m. at the Dominion LNG Plant Gas Dock at 2100 Cove Point Road in Lusby. Copeland slipped underwater while working off a flotation device attached to a barge and continued to the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay, approximately 40 feet. He was rescued by co-workers but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. He was wearing diving equipment at the time. Copeland was working for Greg's Marine Construction Inc. of Lusby as a laborer and his duties on Saturday were to chip away old cement jackets placed over pilings at the gas dock, preparing these pilings for new jackets, approximately 1 mile off the coast of Calvert County.


WI Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in IN Crash

October 23, SOUTH BEND, IN - 57 year old Oleh Pyvovarov of Milwaukee, WI was killed early Saturday in a fiery two-semi crash on the Indiana Toll Road near the South Bend/Notre Dame exit. Another semi had slowed down for traffic when Pyvovarov's truck hit the rear of the first truck and burst into flames.


Man Found Dead at Landfill Work Site

October 23, CONWAY, AR - 55 year old Kenneth Trent Goolsby of Ripley, MS, a contract worker for the City of Conway, was found dead at the city’s landfill on Friday afternoon after sustaining injuries in what investigators are describing as an apparent on-the-job accident. After being gone longer than the normal time to fill a water tank, a coworker was sent to the water filling site to check on Goolsby, who was then discovered lying face-down beneath the front of the water truck in the water. The report indicates he apparently had no pulse, and the truck was still running, though it had been backed “nearly completely into the pond.”


Store Owner Shot Trying to Stop Robbery

October 23, QUEENS, NY - 54 year old Juan Torres was shot and killed by a robbery suspect who was holding his brother at gunpoint, robbing the register. Detectives believe Torres was shot as he tried to sneak up on the bandit with a hammer while his brother Felix was being held at gunpoint. Juan Torres "heroically saved his brother's life, but sadly it cost him his own," a cop source said.

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