Weekly Toll

La Grange man dies in work accident

February 26, Chicago, Illinois - The Cook County medical examiner's office has ruled that "compressional asphyxiation" caused the death of a La Grange man at a building-materials supplier in Blue Island this week. Brian Fuller Sr., 48, was fatally injured at George J. Roll & Sons on the 2200 block of Vermont Street. Fuller, a 15-year employee, oversaw loading lumber and drywall onto delivery trucks.


Sheriff's deputy killed in shootout near Fresno

February 26, Minkler, California - A Fresno County sheriff's deputy was fatally shot and two other officers were wounded Thursday in an all-day confrontation with a barricaded arson suspect in the tiny unincorporated community of Minkler, 20 miles east of Fresno. "This morning, I had to deliver the message that no law enforcement leader wants to deliver, and that was to the wife of a deputy sheriff, that her husband had been killed in the line of duty," Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said at a news conference.



Van Wert man dies in industrial accident

February 21, Jefferson Township, - A 58-year-old Van Wert resident died in an industrial accident at Celina Aluminum Precision Technology on Sunday, Feb. 21. Mark A. Fennig, of 321 Race St., Van Wert, a maintenance technician, was apparently working on a water passage machine at the plant at 7059 Staeger Road when the accident occurred. Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey received a 911 call at about 1:38 p.m. Sunday. An initial investigation showed that Fennig somehow became tangled in the water passage machine. His hard hat had been knocked off and he had visible head trauma, Grey said.


City employee dies on the job

February 25, Leeds, Alabama — A long-time Leeds city worker and friend to many passed away Tuesday while on the job that friends said he loved. Leroy Alexander, 70, collapsed while working at the end of Peach Street on Tuesday morning. Mayor Eric Patterson said Alexander had been an integral part of the city for the past 26 years. “He told many people that he loved working for the city,” Patterson said. “He always told us he might retire next year, but came back everyday ready to work. He was very dedicated and a very good worker. He will be missed greatly as a person and an employee.”


Whale Trainer Killed at SeaWorld Orlando

February 24, Orlando, Florida - A killer whale attacked and killed a trainer in front of a horrified audience Wednesday at a SeaWorld show, with at least one witness saying the animal leaped from the water, dragged her under and thrashed her around violently. Distraught audience members were hustled out of the stadium, and the park was immediately closed. The 40-year-old veteran trainer was one of the park’s most experienced. It was not clear exactly how she died. An audience member said a show was just starting when the whale “took off really fast in the tank, and then he came back, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started thrashing around, and one of her shoes flew off,” Victoria Biniak told WKMG-TV.


Trash Hauler's Last Words: "My Kids, My Kids"

February 25, Hartford, Connecticut - Eric Hassan was working as part of a three-man crew, picking up garbage in Wolcott on Wednesday morning when a routine day at work turned tragic. The truck from Gaudiosi Hauling had reached the end of Midwood Avenue just before 7 a.m. Hassan was standing behind the truck, directing the driver to turn it around when something went wrong and he was wedged against a retaining wall, police told the Waterbury Republican-American. The Waterbury man was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.


CPD mourns sergeant killed responding to call

February 23, Chicago, Illinois - Police Superintendent Jody Weis is considering filing murder charges in connection to a crash that killed a veteran officer. Sergeant Alan Haymaker was killed early Monday morning when the squad car he was driving crashed into a tree on Lake Shore Drive near Irving Park. He was responding to a burglary call at the time. Under Illinois law, murder charges can be filed against the suspects in the burglary. And while Superintendent Weis wants to hold those suspects- who have not been caught- accountable, the decision would be up to the state's attorney.


Man dies in work accident in Blue Island

February 23, Chicago, Illinois - A man died in an accident while at work Monday in south suburban Blue Island. Brian Fuller Sr., 48, of La Grange, was pronounced dead at 1:03 a.m. at MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. Fuller died at 2258 Vermont St. in Blue Island. George J. Roll & Sons, a building material supplier company, is located at that address, according to an online directory. No one was immediately available from the company.


Two Oklahoma construction workers buried alive

February 23, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — Two construction workers were killed on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 after a trench that they were working in collapsed on top of them. The fatal workplace accident occurred around 2:45 p.m., at the intersection of U.S. Highway 62 and Oklahoma 102 just north of the Kickapoo Casino, as reported by KOCO. Jacktown Fire officials reported that the men were in the process of digging a hole for a septic tank when the trench suddenly collapsed and buried them. Heavy equipment to recover the buried men wasn’t immediately available to rescue the workers; unstable soil was also an issue for recovery teams. Justin Johnson, 32, and Keith Haddox, 44, were tragically killed in the accident. Their bodies were finally recovered by 10:30 p.m., Tuesday night. It is unknown what caused the hole to cave in on the men.


Anamosa Man Dies at Cedar Rapids Construction Site

February 22, Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Details are sketchy in the death of a man at a southwest Cedar Rapids construction site. Faron Fritz, 30, of Anamosa, died at St. Luke’s Hospital of injuries suffered Monday morning, his brother-in-law Mark Baumler said. The Cedar Rapids Fire Department and Area Ambulance responded to 3141 Williams Parkway SW at 9:27 a.m. on a report of a steel beam or heavy metal pipe that had fallen on a worker, fire department spokesman Greg Buelow said. No other details were released. Baumler said Fritz worked for a contractor at the site, but he declined to name the employer.


Landfill worker dies from injuries

February 23, Shelby, Ohio — A worker at the Cleveland County Landfill has died after being injured on the job Monday. “We’ve been shaken and we’ve been saddened; I mean, he was one of our boys," said Sam Lockridge, coordinator of health services for Cleveland County. Travis Bryan Kidd, 24, of Mooresboro, died Monday afternoon on the way to the hospital after a 40-ton rolling compactor crushed his legs and pelvis.


Worker killed at welding company

February 23, Wilmington, North Carolina - At 10:35 a.m. New Hanover County Sheriff’s Deputies, along with Fire & EMS responded to Watson Portable Welding, located at 5679 Carolina Beach Road regarding a fatal workplace accident. The victim, 28-year old Walter Noel Argueta Banegas of Wilmington, was operating a fork lift at the time of the incident. Employees immediately responded and contacted emergency services upon locating the victim. Mr. Banegas was pronounced dead upon assessment by EMS personnel. Although Detectives do not suspect foul play, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is leading the investigation. An autopsy has been scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday.


Landfill employee dies after compactor incident

February 23, Shelby, North Carolina - The Star has learned from multiple sources that the landfill employee injured yesterday by a trash compactor died in Charlotte as a result of his injuries. Check back for more information as we learn of it.


Van Wert man dies in industrial accident

February 23, Jefferson Township, Ohio — A 58-year-old Van Wert resident died in an industrial accident at Celina Aluminum Precision Technology on Sunday, Feb. 21. Mark A. Fennig, of 321 Race St., Van Wert, a maintenance technician, was apparently working on a water passage machine at the plant at 7059 Staeger Road when the accident occurred. Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey received a 911 call at about 1:38 p.m. Sunday. An initial investigation showed that Fennig somehow became tangled in the water passage machine. His hard hat had been knocked off and he had visible head trauma, Grey said.


Chicago Police Officer Dies In Crash On Lake Shore Drive

February 22, Chicago, Illinois - A Chicago police sergeant answering a call about a burglary died this morning when his squad car hit a tree in the median along southbound Lake Shore Drive near Irving Park Road, sources say. The 56-year-old officer was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:33 a.m., according to the medical examiner's office. He had been assigned to the Town Hall District and had been on the force for 21 years, police said.


Portland police officer dies in traffic accident

February 22, Portland, Oregon - The Portland Police Bureau says one of its officers has died in a traffic accident in Vancouver, Wash. The bureau says 35-year-old Adam Cushman, of Vancouver, was killed Sunday night when the car he was driving hit a dump truck. The Clark County sheriff's office says the truck had stalled on a street and the driver had turned off its lights to restart it. Deputies say Cushman's car ran into the rear of the truck and that he died at the scene.


Menino condemns killing of Uphams Corner store clerk

February 22, Boston, Massachusetts - Mayor Thomas M. Menino today condemned the "callous" and "unconscionably wrong" killing of a 71-year-old store clerk during a robbery in Uphams Corner and vowed to help small shop owners to increase security. "Yesterday was a terrible day," Menino said this afternoon as he offered condolences to the family of Gerardo Serrano, who was shot and killed during a robbery at the Hermanos Unidos grocery store on Dudley Street. "This is over a [small] robbery. To take a person's life over" a small amount of money.


Industrial Incident Claims Worker's Life

February 22, Celina, Ohio - A Van Wert man was killed in an apparent accident while on the job. Police say 58-year-old Mark Fennig died after he somehow got tangled while working on a water passage machine at Celina Aluminum Precision Technology in Celina Sunday afternoon. Authorities aren't sure yet what led to the incident as they continue to investigate.


Worker Dead After Hit By Giant Ice Chunk

February 20, Follansbee, West Virginia - A worker at the Follansbee Coke Plant is dead after an accident Saturday around 3 p.m. The plant where the man was killed is owned by Mountain State Carbon, a division of Severstal North America, Inc. According to Severstal spokeswoman Bette Kovach, Frederic Wizba, 54, of Wheeling was a long-time employee who worked as a raw material supervisor. He was declared dead at the scene and transported to Weirton Medical Center.


Man Killed by Fumes in Minn. Hog Barn

February 19, Eyota, Minnesota -An accidental death at an Eyota-area hog farm will be investigated by the Minnesota office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Twenty-nine-year-old Carlos Ramirez-Perez was found unconscious in a barn's workroom area Wednesday. Authorities said they have "strong reason" to believe Ramirez-Perez had been overcome by fumes. The incident occurred on the Schoenfelder Farms at 11279 55th St. S.E. in Eyota Township. "Minnesota OSHA will review this facility," said agency spokesman James Honerman. The agency will investigate to determine causes and whether existing OSHA standards were violated. The agency rarely investigates incidents at family farms, Honerman said.


Funeral for Florence Police Officer will be held Monday

February 20, Florence, South Carolina -A Florence County man was in court Sunday for a bond hearing on charges of voluntary manslaughter after investigators say he shot and killed a Florence Police officer. Brady Johnson, 22, of Effingham, is accused of killing Matthew H. Clayton Friday night in a Florence home. In court Sunday, a judge set Johnson's bond at $30,000. He was released on bail at 10:18 a.m. Monday. Capt. Michael Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff's Office says Clayton, 29, died Friday evening in his home on Cross Vines Road in Florence. According to investigators, the firearm discharged while Johnson was pointing it at Clayton's back, resulting in his death.


Gov't worker believed dead after crash

February 19, Austin, Texas - Authorities have found two bodies in the wreckage of the Northwest Austin building that was hit by a plane, but they are waiting for forensic reports before identifying them publicly. One is thought to be the pilot -- Joseph Stack. The other is believed to be a government employee who remains unaccounted. Vernon Hunter, 67, of Cedar Park, worked in the Echelon building as an IRS criminal investigation agent. He is presumed dead.


Worker Dies From Injuries In Feb 7 Connecticut Power Plant Blast

February 19, Middletown, Connecticut - A worker died Friday from injuries sustained during an explosion at a power plant under construction in Connecticut earlier this month, raising the death toll to six, local police said.Kenneth Haskell, 37, of New Durham, N.H., died at Hartford Hospital. He was a superintendent for a contractor at the Kleen Energy Systems LLC plant when the explosion occurred on Feb. 7, Middletown, Conn., police said in a statement. Following the explosion, police said five people were killed and 12 injured while working at the natural-gas power plant. The blast could be heard and felt miles from the construction site.


Factory worker killed in Wilson plant

February 19, Wilson, North Carolina - Authorities are investigating the death of a Peninsula Packaging worker. Emergency crews responded to a call about an industrial accident around 2:20 p.m. Thursday at the Wilson plant on Wilco Blvd. Upon their arrival, emergency workers found an employee stuck in a production machine. The employee died at the scene. Peninsula Packaging authorities, Wilson Police Department, the North Carolina Industrial Commission and OSHA are working together to investigate the incident.

Qualcomm employee dies after jump from office building

February 18, San Diego, California — A 28-year-old Qualcomm employee jumped to his death Thursday from the roof of a company corporate office building in Sorrento Valley, the Medical Examiner’s Office said. The man was married and lived in Mira Mesa, the medical examiner said. He jumped off the roof of a 12-story Qualcomm building on Pacific Center Boulevard in Sorrento Valley about 7:12 a.m. and was dead at the scene, the medical examiner said. Emily Gin Kilpatrick, director of corporate communications for Qualcomm, issued a statement offering condolences to the man's family, friends and colleagues.


One killed in church roof collapse in Sampson County church roof collapse

February 18, Clinton, North Carolina — One person was killed when the roof of a church in Sampson County collapsed on Thursday afternoon, authorities said. The Sampson County Highway Patrol said crews were working on the roof of the new sanctuary at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, 3790 Faison Highway in Clinton, when it collapsed just before 4:30 p.m. Two others were injured and taken to Sampson Regional Hospital. One of the patients was later airlifted UNC Hospital.


Corrections officer killed in Highway 2 crash

February 18, Sultan, Washington - Not 50 feet from where he was killed on US 2 Wednesday, a white cross now stands in memory of Bruce Ramsey, a veteran corrections officer at the state prison in Monroe. He was a man who many times put his life on the line for fellow officers. "He was the best correctional professional we have at the institution," said Rick Samp, "He served the community here, more than anybody will ever understand." Samp never imagined his friend would die this way. Ramsey was riding his motorcycle on US 2 in the afternoon sun when a teen driver pulled in front of him, killing him.


Tesla workers killed in plane crash identified

February 18, East Palo Alto, California - The San Mateo County coroner on Thursday identified the three Tesla Motors Inc. workers it believes were killed in a plane crash in East Palo Alto on Wednesday morning. One of the people identified was Doug Bourn, a senior electrical engineer who had been identified Wednesday as the owner of the Cessna 310 that crashed. The other two, Andrew Ingram of Palo Alto, an electrical engineer; and Brian M. Finn of East Palo Alto, a senior manager of interactive electronics, had been identified by some publications before the official announcement.


Man dies at Eyota hog farm, fumes suspected

February 18, Eyota, Minnesota - A worker at an Eyota Township hog farm was pronounced dead at Saint Marys Hospital Wednesday afternoon. Investigators suspect Carlos Remirez-Perez, 29, died from fumes inside one of the buildings at Schoenfelder Farms on Southeast 55th Street. Remierez-Perez was unresponsive when he was found by coworkers around 2:45 p.m. Eyota Ambulance tried to revive him at the scene, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.


Worker dies at northern Iowa industrial plant

February 18, Belmond, Iowa - The Eaton Corp. says a worker has died on the job at its plant in Belmond in northern Iowa. Company spokeswoman Julie Habbouche says 51-year-old Doug Barkema, of Belmond, died in the accident on Wednesday. She says Barkema was a machine operator and had worked at the plant for 24 years. Habbouche declined to comment on the accident, but did say an investigation was under way.


Atlantic City police officer dies from accidental gunshot

February 18, Atlantic City, Georgia — Atlantic City police said an officer has died from an accidental gunshot wound. Police Chief John Mooney said 31-year-old Officer Kevin Wilkins was trying to put a rubber sleeve on the grip of his pistol as he sat in his patrol car around 1:30 a.m. today. He had removed the ammunition clip, but was struck in the face by the round in the chamber when the gun accidentally discharged.


Worker killed in Wilson packaging plant accident

February 18, Wilson, North Carolina — A worker at a Wilson packaging plant died Thursday afternoon after falling into a machine, authorities said. Police were called to Peninsula Packaging Co., at 2540 Wilco Blvd., at about 2:20 p.m. in response to an industrial accident. Emergency workers found that Anthony "Tony" Ballew, 44, of Mount Olive, died after getting trapped in a production machine, police said. The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health was investigating the accident, said Neal O'Briant, spokesman for the state Department of Labor. A preliminary investigation determined the worker was caught in an extruder machine, he said.


Man killed in industrial accident identified

February 17, Milwaukee, Wisconsin - A man who died Tuesday after he was trapped under a piece of steel at an industrial facility in West Milwaukee has been identified by the Milwaukee County medical examiner's office as Leroy J. Baker. Baker, a 61-year-old Milwaukee resident, was pronounced dead shortly after noon at Galland Henning Nopak, Inc., 1025 S. 40th St., according to a medical examiner's report.Baker was injured when an 8-foot by 10-foot piece of steel that weighed at least 2 tons fell from an overhead lift hoist he was using to move the steel into a building, according to a medical examiner's report.


Oil Tank Explosion Kills One Worker

February 16, Beggs, Oklahoma - One worker is dead and several others are lucky to be alive after an oil tank explodes. It happened southwest of Beggs in Okmulgee County late Wednesday afternoon. Emergency crews were called to Dentonville Road at about 4:30 this afternoon not knowing what they would face when they got there. "It was a tanker, a site tanker, that ended with the fatality of one of the workers out here," says Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice.


Worker dies after sheet metal falls on top of him

February 17, Milwaukee, Minnesota - A 57-year-old worker at a West Milwaukee manufacturer is dead after a piece of sheet metal fell on top of him. The accident happened about 11 a.m. Tuesday at Galland Henning Nopak Inc., which manufactures pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders and valves, and scrap recycling equipment. The man's name has not been released. But his wife told WISN-TV that he had worked at the manufacturer since he was 16 years old.


Trench Collapse Victims Identified

February 16, McLoud, Oklahoma – The two men who died when a trench collapsed Tuesday have been identified. According to Medical Examiner spokesperson Cherokee Ballard, the two men are identified as 44-year-old Keith Haddox and 32-year-old Justin Johnson. The workers died after being trapped when a hole collapsed at about 2:45 p.m. and dumped nearly two tons of dirt on top of the workers at the site near State Highways 62 and 102. Construction workers tried to dig them out by hand, but it proved too dangerous, even for fire crews, to proceed with the rescues.


Police officer killed in Georgia

February 16, Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia - A Georgia police officer was gunned down while patrolling a sparsely populated area in Chattahoochee Hills, authorities said Tuesday. Officer Mike Vogt was shot with a high-powered gun while driving his cruiser Monday. He was able to call for help, but was pronounced dead after a helicopter rushed him to a hospital, Col. Jeff Holmes of the Fulton County Sheriff's Department said. "We will be turning up the heat and trying to find the perpetrators of this horrific crime," Holmes said at a news conference.


Construction accident kills worker

February 19, Baton Rouge, Louisiana - A 32-year-old construction worker was killed today after falling about 20 feet when the lift he was in was struck by a beam, causing it to fall over, Baton Rouge Police spokesman Sgt. Don Kelly said in a news release. Police are looking for the victim’s family and have not released his identity, Kelly said. He said the man was Hispanic and died at the scene from “apparent head trauma.”


4 dead, 1 missing in small plane crash at Monmouth Executive Airport

February 15, Trenton, New Jersey - Four of the five people aboard a small plane that crashed around 4pm today near Monmouth Executive Airport in New Jersey are confirmed to have been killed, and the remaining person aboard the plane is missing, the AP reports. A witness reported that the plane appeared to “break apart” over the airfield 35 miles outside Trenton before coming down over a snowy field. Investigators indicate that there is a large “debris field” involved in the crash. Witnesses also say the plane was a Cessna 337 Skymaster, and an employee of a restaurant just outside the airport describes the crash:


Pilot with local ties dies in Iowa plane crash

February 15, Forest City, Iowa - A former resident of Columbiana with Clanton roots died in a plane crash near Forest City, Iowa on Friday. Tommy Shelton of Destin, Fla. was piloting the plane when it went down south of Forest City shortly after 2 p.m. There were no passengers on board. Shelton was the son of the late Russ and Margie Shelton, who owned and operated Shelton Motors -- a Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile dealership -- in Clanton for many years.


Security guard dies after scuffle with teen at grocery store

February 15, Wayne, New Jersey - A security guard at a Wayne grocery store died after a scuffle with a 15-year-old shoplifting suspect, authorities said Sunday. Police said Samir Mourad, 42, of Clifton was unconscious when they arrived at the ShopRite on Hamburg Turnpike at 6:40 p.m. Saturday. The security guard had suffered an apparent heart attack during an altercation with the teenage boy that Wayne police described as "wrestling." Mourad was taken to nearby St. Joseph's Wayne Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.


span style="font-weight:bold;">Central Pa. Officer Killed While Directing Traffic

February 13, Mill Hall, Pennsylvania ― Authorities in central Pennsylvania say a fire police officer was struck and killed while directing traffic around the scene of a crash. State police in Clinton County say 62-year-old Donald Mellot of Flemington was hit about 1:30 p.m. Friday on Lusk Run Road about two miles from Central Mountain High School. Police say the Woolrich Volunteer Fire Company member was later pronounced dead at Lock Haven Hospital. Police said the vehicle drove through a coned-off area. The accident remains under investigation. Authorities say the victim was one of several fire police officers called to the scene after a car and a pickup collided, shearing a utility pole.


Mass. officer dies of injuries suffered in accident David T. Zolendziewski suffered injuries after his cruiser skidded on some ice

February 13, Holyoke, Massachusetts - Police officer David T. Zolendziewski died Thursday of complications from injuries suffered two months ago when his police cruiser skidded on some ice and struck a tree, Police Chief Anthony R. Scott said. Zolendziewski, 53, was a 23-year-veteran of the Holyoke police, appointed to the force as a reserve officer by Mayor Ernest Proulx on March 18, 1985, and named a full-time officer on April 28, 1986.


Mourners Grieve At Funerals For Connecticut Workers Who Died In Power Plant Explosion

February 13, Middletown, Connecticut - Hundreds of mourners attended funerals around the state Saturday for three Connecticut pipe fitters who were killed in the Kleen Energy plant explosion in Middletown Feb. 7. More than 120 people paid their respects for Ronald Crabb, 42, who was active in local politics, at a funeral Mass at St. Andrew Church in Colchester. Crabb, a family man and avid outdoorsman, served on the Democratic town committee and board of finance and was married to local probate judge Jodi M. Thomas. About 300 people said goodbye to Raymond E. Dobratz Jr., 58, at First Church of Christ Congregational in Old Saybrook. Friends and family hugged each other while "Amazing Grace" played as the casket was carried out of the church. Dobratz was a well-known figure in town as a coach and a co-founder of the Old Saybrook Youth Football Athletic League. He formerly served on the police and park and recreation commissions and the Democratic town committee. And about 275 people said goodbye to Peter C. Chepulis, 48, an outdoorsman who enjoyed riding Harleys, at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston.


Man injured in explosion dies

February 12, The man who died Wednesday following an industrial accident in Schofield was remembered Thursday as a man who loved God and helping his fellow soldiers. Capt. Eric Simpson, 31, of Schofield was a chaplain in the Iowa National Guard and was scheduled to be deployed later this year to Afghanistan, Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood said. Simpson was working at Quality Surface Processing, 1070 Pine St., Tuesday when he was burned by scalding liquid from a chemical salt bath. He died Wednesday at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Burn Center in Madison. The cause of the accident is under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.


Colo. Worker Dies When Excavator Tips Into Wyo. Pond

February 11, Laramie, Wyoming- A Greeley, Colo., man died when the excavation machine he was driving fell into an ice-covered retention pond at a Laramie car wash. The Laramie Police Department said 42-year-old Tracy J. Whitehouse was driving the excavator at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when it tipped on its side. The operator's cab broke through 8 inches of ice and was submerged in mud and water. Searchers first tried to locate Whitehouse in the cab but couldn't find him. A water rescue team found his body in the pond about 5 hours later.


Worker Crushed In Bobcat Accident

February 11, Owings Mills, Maryland - Baltimore County fire officials said a man was killed Thursday in an accident in which he was crushed by a Bobcat. Director of Public Information Elise Armacost said the incident happened shortly after noon at a Sunoco gas station in the 10000 block of Reisterstown Road. Armacost said the victim was a motorist who got stuck in the snow. He stopped at the Sunoco for assistance and asked if he could use the Bobcat on the gas station lot. The man was told it wasn't working and he offered to repair it, Armacost said. The victim was crushed as he tried to lift a piece of the equipment, which simultaneously lifted another part of the machine that fell on him.


UPDATE

Body of worker killed at U.S. plant coming home

February 9, Middletown, Connecticut - The body of a local man killed in a U.S. plant explosion last weekend will receive a hero's welcome today. Hundreds of construction workers, plus family and friends of Roy Rushton are expected to greet the hearse carrying his body as it arrives outside P.X. Dermody Funeral Homes on King Street East. Rushton was among five killed when the Kleen Energy Systems plant in Middletown, Conn., exploded at 11:15 a.m. Sunday. The 36-year-old husband and father was installing insulation at the under-construction plant.


Worker found dead at Wainwright

February 10, Barrow, Alaska - North Slope Borough police say a worker was found dead at a job site at Wainwright. Workers with SKW/Eskimo Inc. on Tuesday morning tried to contact 21-year-old Cory T. Mayer of Wainwright by radio, and when he did not respond, they went looking for him. Co-workers spotted Mayer lying in a work site hole, not moving, and called police. Wainwright emergency workers tried to revive him and transported Mayer to the Wainwright Health Clinic, where he was pronounced dead. The state medical examiner is planning an autopsy.


Pasco bouncer killed day before birthday

February 9, Pasco, Washington - On a day when Froilan Godines should have been celebrating his 42nd birthday, loved ones were busy making his funeral arrangements as they struggled to understand just what happened outside a Pasco bar early Sunday. Godines, a bouncer at El Patron Night Club, was fatally stabbed an hour after he confronted a customer about stolen alcohol. He reportedly was attacked as he walked to his car. Isabel Montes fought through her tears Monday as she described her father as "a wonderful person" and "a great man" who was always willing to help those in need.


UPDATE

Old Saybrook Resident Raymond Dobratz Among 5 Killed In Middletown Blast

February 9, Old Saybrook, Connecticut - Raymond Dobratz, a veteran pipefitter, had been working 12-hour days, seven days a week, helping build the Kleen Energy Systems power plant in Middletown — and he loved it. A member of the Connecticut Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 777 for 38 years, Dobratz was passionate about his craft and was enjoying the frat-like camaraderie among the group of guys working at the site. "He said it was the best job he ever worked on," said his son, Erik, 36. "He died doing what he loved." Dobratz, 58, was one of five people killed during an explosion Sunday morning at the power plant.


UPDATE

Florissant Man Killed In Connecticut Plant Explosion

February 9, Florissant, Connecticut - A Florissant man is one of the five people killed a massive Connecticut power plant explosion, Sunday. Chris Walters, 48, was a safety supervisor for Keystone Construction in Massachusetts. He took a temporary job at the plant after being laid off from another construction job. His wife Fran is finding it hard to believe her husband of seventeen years is gone."He was wonderful," she says. "He loved his family more than anything in the world, and would give you the shirt off his back if you needed help, and he had just met you.


Man killed Sunday along Turnpike identified as Hempfield man

February 9, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - A tow-truck driver attending to a crash scene on the Pennsylvania Turnpike was struck and killed by an out-of-control tractor-trailer Sunday night in Mt. Pleasant Township. Michael T. Pegg, 39, of Hempfield, an employee of Weavertown Towing Garage Services in Hunker, died at the scene of the crash in the westbound lanes of the turnpike, 4 1/2 miles west of the Donegal interchange, Westmoreland County Deputy Coroner Jerry Fritz said. Pegg had been called to assist at an accident and was walking along the highway's berm when he was hit around 7:05 p.m., state police at New Stanton reported.


Man Killed by Dump Truck

February 9, Auburn, Alabama - A 20-year employee of East Alabama Paving Company of Opelika, died on site in Auburn Monday. Ronald Gary Taunten, of Columbus Georgia was directing heavy equipment when he was crushed by a dump truck. Witnesses say that every safety measure was taken to prevent this kind of accident from happening. Taunten was wearing his safety vest, and the alarm on the truck was operational. Officials are investigating the surroundings of the accident.


Construction worker dies at LJ project

February 9, Lake Jackson, Texas — Officials are trying to determine how a construction worker died inside an unused sewer line Monday as he crawled down a manhole to pull out a valve. Medical officials said it is likely the 23-year-old man died from gas fumes remaining in the old line. Officials had not released the man’s name late Monday afternoon, pending family notification. Lake Jackson EMS Director Fred Ortiz said he was the first rescue worker on scene at the highway construction site at Highway 332 and Oak Drive. Officials were dispatched about 1:42 p.m. Monday.


5 killed in Middletown power plant explosion

February 8, Middletown, Connecticut - Fire officials in Middletown, CT say they don’t believe anyone’s missing in the rubble of the power plant that exploded yesterday morning. Crews spent the night going through debris in case there were more victims of the blast that killed at least five and injured a dozen or more. Red Cross volunteer Heather Tolley says they’ve set up a center to help those affected. “Mental health services, we are also fielding phone calls and emails from concerned family members from really around the globe. Our job there is to connect them with the right resources so they can get their questions answered.” The plant was still being built, so officials say it’s not clear how many workers might have been on the scene for the explosion.


Tenn. Officer Dies From Crash Injuries

February 8, Springhill, Tennessee - A Spring Hill police officer injured in a crash Friday night died at Vanderbilt Medical Center Sunday. Officials confirm Cpl. Jeremy McLaren died at 12:15 p.m. Sunday. McLaren's leg was broken in the crash at the intersection of Highway 31 North and Bear Creek near the Columbia city limits. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a red truck driven by Billy Colen Stafford of Shelbyville ran through a red light at the intersection, and collided with McLaren's cruiser. The impact pushed the officer's car into a nearby parking lot. McLaren had to be cut out of the wreckage.


Oconee County Deputy Killed While On Duty

February 7, Oconee County, South Carolina - An Oconee County sheriff's deputy was found dead early Sunday, pinned between his patrol car and a tree. It appears that the car of 26-year-old Deputy William Frederick Schuck III had gotten stuck at about 1:35 a.m. on a private dirt road in the 6000 block of North Highway 11 near Walhalla, the sheriff's office said. He called his wife at about that time, the sheriff's office said. Investigators said that they believe Schuck had gotten out of his car to examine the situation when the car went forward and pinned him. Schuck's manner of death was classified as accidental, Oconee County Coroner Karl E. Addis said in a press release on Sunday.


Springfield man found dead near Eugene railroad tracks

February 7, Eugene, Oregon - Police released the name today of a man whose body was found early Saturday near the railroad tracks in West Eugene. They are investigating the death as a homicide. The body of Ronald Leo Langlois, 44, of Springfield was found at 4:47 a.m. adjacent to Portland & Western Railroad tracks between West Second Avenue and Cleveland Street. Langlois, a railroad employee, died of a gunshot wound, said Melinda A. Kletzok, police spokeswoman


Construction Worker Killed in Accident

February 5, Cullman, Alabama - A construction worker was killed Friday in Cullman County after building material fell on him. A 54-year-old man died when the material fell on him at a work site on Highway 278 at Kugler Creek. Workers are currently straightening and expanding the road, which has been the scene of deadly accidents in the past few years.


NYC construction worker falls to death

February 5, New York City, New York - Police say a worker has died after falling from scaffolding at an upper Manhattan construction site. Police say 51-year-old Josef Wilk, of Jackson Heights, Queens, fell from the 3rd floor into a construction elevator shaft on West 129th Street just after 2 p.m. Friday. Police say Wilk was taken to St. Luke's Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police are investigating, but no criminality is suspected.

Man arrested for wreck that killed cab driver

February 4, Anchorage, Alaska - Anchorage police arrested a man Thursday night charging him with manslaughter and DWI after a fatal collision this past weekend that killed an Anchorage cab driver. The accident happened Saturday morning at the intersection of Fireweed Lane and Arctic Boulevard. APD arrested Lawrence Brewer for the death of Yellow Cab driver Dale Polkarney. Witnesses say Brewer ran a red light and hit Polkarney.


Ohio State Trooper Killed In Crash

February 4, Carey, Ohio - A state highway patrol cruiser responding to a call rolled over on the side of a roadway Thursday evening, killing one trooper and injuring another. The crash occurred just outside Carey, a village of about 4,000 residents in the northwest part of the state. Trooper Andrew C. Baldridge, who was driving, and Trooper Mark McLaughlin, a passenger, were responding to an aid call from a Wyandot County sheriff's deputy when their car went off the right side of the roadway and rolled several times, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. Both troopers appear to have been wearing seat belts, it said. Baldridge, who was 25 years old and had graduated from the highway patrol academy in December, died in the crash. McLaughlin, 33 and a highway patrol veteran, was injured and was hospitalized in fair condition.


Jewelry Store Worker Killed In New York City Robbery

February 4, New York City, New York - A jewelry store worker was shot dead on Wednesday in a daylight robbery in New York City. The jewelry store named R. S. Durant is situated in the posh Madison Avenue. At the time of the robbery two people were working at the store, when a cool and calm well dressed middle aged man came into the store. The man was wearing a sunglasses, a blue overcoat, scarf and gray slacks. He soon announced that he was robbing the place and ordered the two jewelry store workers to fill two canvas bags which the gunman brought. The workers refused to comply and the suspect brought out a semi automatic pistol and said “You think I’m kidding? This is real” before firing a shot at one of the workers- According to NYPD sposkeman Paul J Brown. One of the jewelry store workers, Henry Menahem aged 71 was hit on the chest and succumbed to his injuries almost immediately. The gunman refused to allow the second jewelry worker, 49 to call 911 immediately.


Construction worker dies in Flagler County fall

February 3, Flagler County, Florida - A construction worker died this morning after falling about 25 feet from the roof of a construction job in Palm Coast, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Daniel Vance Caldwell, 40, of Jacksonville was working on a new movie theater on Central Avenue when he fell shortly after 10 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The general contractor is North Carolina-based Edifice, and Caldwell worked for subcontractor Palatka Welding, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Officials with Palatka Welding declined to comment Wednesday afternoon.


Worker killed in fall from cell phone tower

February 3, Little Rock, Arizona — A man with more than three decades experience working on towers died this morning when he fell about 100 feet from a cell phone tower in Saline County. Terry Thompson, 51, of Lucedale, Miss., was pronounced dead at the scene, a tower on Old 88 Road near Highway 70. Officials say he died on impact about 10:30 a.m. Deputies with the Saline County sheriff's office and officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating how the fall occurred. Foul play is not suspected. The tower, which is owned by Stafford, Texas-based American Tower, was being dismantled by Little Rock company Dynamic Wireless. Thompson was reportedly working as a subcontractor.


Local man dies while working on billboard

February 3, Winfield, Pennsylvania - A local Lamar Advertising employee was killed Tuesday morning while working here, said company spokesman Hal Kilshaw. The unidentified man, whom Kilshaw said was stationed at the company's South Williamsport office, was working above ground on a billboard when he died. His name has not been released pending notification of family. Union Township deputy fire Chief Steve Anderson said he was notified around 7:40 a.m. and responded to the billboard near the intersection of Route 15 and Seven Kitchens Road.


Demolition Worker Dies After Pa. Church Accident

February 2, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania ― A Pennsylvania man is dead after falling from a lift at the demolition site of a church. Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Andrew Szczyglak says 53-year-old John Martz of Oneida died Monday after the accident at St. George Roman Catholic Church in Shenandoah. Officials say Martz fell about 60 feet when he and another worker were shoring up a part of the church's steeple on Monday morning. The other worker was taken to a hospital for treatment.


Man Crushed To Death By Horse

February 2, Hillsborough County, Florida - A man was crushed to death by a horse at Tampa Bay Downs Monday morning, according to deputies. At around 8 a.m., a 60-year-old trainer was on the track exercising one of the horses when the animal got spooked and fell, landing on the man, investigators said. The trainer was transported to the hospital, but died from the injuries. "We're all a family here. It hurts. It hurts. I didn't know him, but it could have been me," said Lance Hie, a horse groomer at Tampa Bay Downs. "It could have been my friend."


Car wash employee hit by vehicle

February 1, Albuquerque, New Mexico- Albuquerque police have identified a car wash employee who was killed when she was struck by a vehicle being driving out of the car wash by another employee. Officer Nadine Hamby identifies her as 30-year-old Floridalia Astorga of Albuquerque. Hamby says Astorga was hit Saturday when another employee was driving a Jeep Cherokee away from the conveyer belt that takes vehicles through the car wash, and swerved to avoid a vehicle that was in the way. She says the Jeep pinned Astorga against a pole.


One worker dies after burns from Angleton explosion

January 31, Angleton, Texas - The Medical Examiner is now awaiting autopsy results to determine how a plant worker in Angleton died. They told us Mark Blevins, 56, died Saturday in a hospital. Blevins and two other workers were injured last week in an explosion at the Thermal Polymer Systems plant. Blevins suffered second and third degree burns over most of his body. The company says the men were burned in a flash fire while rolling on primer for lining in a tank truck.


Hundreds mourn sanitation worker Frank Justich, killed by truck last week

February 1, Queens, New York - Hundreds of the city's Strongest turned out Monday morning in their green uniforms to mourn a beloved colleague who died in the line of duty last week. Frank Justich's badge number, 11444, will be retired in his honor and Queens West 1 Garage, where he worked, will eventually be named after him, Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty told the throngs at St. Luke's Church in Whitestone, Queens. Justich, 41, was killed last Tuesday when a milk delivery truck struck him as he worked in Astoria.


Man killed on job in Jones County

January 30, Jones County, Mississippi - A logging skidder operator in Jones County was killed this morning when the skidder ran over and crushed him. The incident happened at a logging site off of Sandersville-To-Eucutta road about 9:30a.m. The photo shows the piece of equipment the victim was operating. Authorities believe he may have gotten off the machine to check a mechanical problem, when one of the tires rolled over him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.


Worker Dies At Nebraska City Plant

January 30, Omaha, Nebraska - The Otoe County Attorney said a man died in a workplace accident in Nebraska City early Saturday. Nebraska City police and and emergency crews responded to a rescue call at Excel Specialty Products, Cargill at 3:59 a.m. involving a workplace injury. The injured worker, identified as 49-year-old Timothy L. Wilson of Nebraska City, was transported to St. Mary's Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:31 a.m. The preliminary investigation indicates that Wilson suffered internal injuries as a result of a fall when the hydraulic lift he was on toppled over.


Worker dies after fall from NJ bridge

January 30, Hackensack River, New Jersey - A bridge worker who fell about 50 feet into the frigid Hackensack River has died from his injuries. Jersey City police say 55-year-old Robert Fitzgerald of North Arlington was working for the CSX rail line when he fell from the Wittpenn Bridge around 4:30 a.m. Friday. Fitzgerald made his way to some pilings but lost consciousness due to hypothermia, police said. Emergency service workers soon hoisted him to the bridge in a basket and took him to Jersey City Medical Center, where he died several hours later.


Man who died in avalanche near Fairfield was well-known

January 30, Fairfield, Idaho - A 44-year-old well-known farmer and businessman from Fairfield is Idaho's latest avalanche victim. That deadly avalanche happened at around 3:40 p.m. Thursday in the Chimney Creek area about 12 miles northwest of Fairfield. The Camas County Sheriff has identified the victim as Shannon Wolf. He was riding a snowmobile and buried under six-feet of snow. Life Flight was dispatched as three fellow riders worked to get their friend out. They tried CPR, but were unable to revive him.


50 officers gave chase in Phoenix officer killing

January 30, Gilbert, Arizona - With a police lieutenant mortally wounded and his alleged assailants fleeing in a work truck, more than 50 law officers sped after them in a wild midnight pursuit from the Phoenix suburbs into the nearby mountains...Authorities said the two men were initially pulled over by Gilbert police Lt. Eric Shuhandler, 42, near the southeast Phoenix suburb of Gilbert at about 11 p.m. on Thursday. Shuhandler, a 16-year veteran, was shot in the face as he walked back toward the pickup after finding the passenger had an arrest warrant, said Gilbert police spokesman Sgt. Mark Marino. Shuhandler, the father of two girls, was rushed to a hospital, where he died shortly before midnight.


Construction worker killed after accident involving forklift

January 29, Phoenix, Arizona – A man is dead after an accident involving a forklift at a construction site. 3TV has learned a construction worker was killed after an accident involving a forklift on Friday morning while working on a construction project at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Phoenix. The investigation into his death continues and details involving what led up to the accident.


Security guard dies after trying to detain suspect

January 25, Honolulu, Hawaii - Police are investigating the death of a security guard at DFS Galleria Waikiki following a struggle with a shoplifting suspect yesterday morning. The victim was identified by family members as Frank Rodrigues, 46, an 18-year employee of the company and an Army veteran. Police classified the case as an unattended death pending the outcome of an autopsy. Police said Rodrigues and another loss prevention officer confronted a 27-year-old man in the store at about 9:10 a.m. yesterday about a theft at the store Wednesday. A struggle ensued and police said the suspect assaulted the other guard.


Employee shot behind Ingleside Village Pizza

January 28, Macon, Georgia - An Ingleside Village Pizza employee was shot outside the restaurant Tuesday night after the employee confronted a man who was breaking into a friend’s car, police said. Eric Marcus, 39, was shot in the shoulder just after 9:30 p.m., according to police. Marcus went out the back door of the restaurant, located at 2395 Ingleside Ave., to smoke, and he noticed a man acting suspiciously around a friend’s car. When Marcus confronted the man, the man pulled a small-caliber handgun and demanded that Marcus hand over his wallet, according to police. The man forced Marcus to get on the ground face down and took the wallet. The robber then tried to make Marcus leave the parking lot with him, according to a police report.


Jewelry Store Worker Killed in Upper East Side Robbery

January 26, New York, New York - A 71-year-old worker at a jewelry store on the Upper East Side was shot and killed in a brazen daytime robbery on Wednesday, the police said. Detectives and a phalanx of uniformed officers were searching the neighborhood for an armed man — who may have been working with others — who escaped after the robbery and shooting, which occurred at 12:25 p.m. The details were still unfolding, but the police said that someone entered the store at 962 Madison Avenue, between East 75th and 76th Streets, and that somehow in the ensuing moments, the worker was shot. It was not immediately known if the worker was the owner or an employee.


Truck driver dead at wheel while partner asleep in cab

January 26, Knoxville, Tennessee - The driver of a tractor-trailer rig sat dead this morning behind the wheel at the intersection of Merchants Drive and Central Avenue Pike as his partner slept in the cab. "The driver had indicated earlier in the morning that he was not feeling well when he pulled off the roadway and parked his vehicle," said Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk. DeBusk did not say when the driver, identified as Tommy Wilson, 71, of Missouri City, Texas, pulled over, but an employee of the Pilot Corp. store, 100 Merchants Drive, said videotape revealed the driver first came into the business at 4 a.m. and bought bottled water.



Two Metro workers struck and killed by track equipment

January 26, Rockville, Washington - Two Metro employees were killed early Tuesday morning while working on the tracks between Shady Grove and Rockville Stations on the Red line in Rockville, MD on Tuesday January 26, 2010. Andrew Harnik/Examiner (Examiner) Metro resumed service at two Red Line stations midday Tuesday, but the investigation continues into the track accident that killed two veteran track workers. Jeff Garrard, 49, and Sung Oh, 68, both of Montgomery County, were killed after they were hit by a Metro truck along the outbound Red Line tracks outside of the Rockville station. The men, both automatic train control technicians, were replacing track equipment that ensures the safety of trains when a special high-rail truck equipped to travel on tracks struck them around 1:45 a.m.


Welder killed when equipment drops

January 28, Anchor Point, Alaska - A Homer man was killed on the job when the bucket of a front-end loader fell and crushed him, Alaska State Troopers said Monday. Josiah Tholberg, 29, was killed Thursday afternoon while working on the rig in Anchor Point, troopers said. Troopers say they were called to East Road Services about 2:45 p.m. to a report that Tholberg had suffered life-threatening injuries while repairing the loader. It appeared he had been welding the bucket when it apparently fell on him, troopers said.


Construction worker dies from injuries in a fall on the Big Island

January 25, Pahoa, Hawaii - A 34-year-old construction worker died Friday from injuries suffered in an 18-foot fall from a building under construction near Pahoa on the Big Island. He was identified as Jeremy Rose, a Sure Steel employee from Idaho, who sustained a severe head injury. He was taken to Hilo Medical Center and subsequently flown to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition. He was pronounced dead on at 11:13 a.m. Friday. The cause of death remains under investigation. Hawaii Fire Department rescue personnel and Puna patrol officers responded to the call about 7 a.m. Thursday.


DuPont Statement on Workers Death

January 26, DuPont officials, through Dave Hastings, director of public affairs issued the following statement concerning the death of employee Carl Fish, who died from exposure to phosgene. At the time of the accident, the line was thought to be inactive. Flags at the plant were lowered to half mast: "Carl 'Dan' Fish, 58, of Gallagher, passed away at Charleston Area Medical Center hospital. Dan was a 32-year DuPont employee who worked as an operator at the Belle site. "He was an integral part of the Site Emergency Response team for much of his career as well."


Employee dies at work

January 25, Portland, Oregon - Police say a USM employee was found dead in her cubicle in Luther Bonney Hall at around midnight on Monday, Jan. 4 by a custodian on their evening rounds. Ann Brushwein, 59 of Portland, was a software support specialist for Computing Services. She had worked at USM since 1999. Her brother, Carlton Gardner of Greene, said Brushwein died of a cardiac arrest. Cpt. Ted Ross of the Portland Police Department said Brushwein had underlying medical conditions that most likely contributed to her death. He would not disclose the nature of her health problems. Police are awaiting test results from the Medical Examiner's office in Augusta.


Man allegedly shot, killed Livingston teacher

January 22, Demopolis, Alabama — A police chase following a shooting at a Livingston school came to an abrupt halt in Demopolis when the suspect’s SUV crashed into the rear of a stopped tractor-trailer at the intersection of U.S. Highway 80 and Walnut Avenue on Wednesday. Telvin Gray, 32, of Forkland is a suspect in the shooting of his wife, Satarrick Gray, as she was leaving her job as a special education teacher at Livingston High School. According to Sumter County Schools superintendent Dr. Fred Primm Jr., Satarrick Gray had worked in the school system for seven years and at the high school for two or three years.


CT construction worker killed by forklift

January 15, Hamden, Connecticut – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) www.osha.gov investigates a tragic accident which occurred on York Hill campus when a construction worker was killed by a forklift, Friday, January 15, 2010, according to The Quinnipiac Chronicle. Hamden County police arrived at the scene soon after the incident to investigate. Police conducted a prior investigation and discovered that the O&G Industries employee was walking up a hill near the Crescent residence hall, when he was struck by a forklift. The forklift had been rolling down the hill backwards when it struck and critically injured the worker at 9:15 a.m.


Man crushed to death at Con-Way Freight in Pasco

January 18, Pasco, Washington - Con-Way Freight in Pasco is providing employees with on-site counselors to help them cope with the death of a fellow employee. 43 year-old Randall Johnston died Friday morning after a large pallet fell on him at work. A spokesman from Con-Way says Johnston was helping another employee unload a trailer when the pallet was dislodged and fell. Con-Way Freight is working with the Department of Labor and Industries to investigate the accident.


Man killed after getting pinned under golf cart

January 18, Port Orange, Florida - A Port Orange man was killed Monday morning when the beverage cart he was working on slid off a lift and pinned him underneath. The Flagler Count Sheriff’s Office says Terry Currey, 56, a mechanic at Cypress Knolls Golf Course in Palm Coast, as working on the cart and it slipped off the lift pinning him underneath. Currey was pronounced dead at the scene by Flagler County Fire Rescue personnel. Sheriff’s deputies said the man was found inside the golf courses maintenance garage by another employee who tried unsuccessfully to free the victim.


Dixie deputy dies in Cross City shooting

January 16, Cross City, Florida - The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating how a chase across four counties for the suspect in the shootings of four women — including two who died — came to a tragic end Thursday evening with a shootout at a Cross City gas station and the death of Dixie County Sheriff’s Capt. Chad Reed. Reed, whose funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church in Cross City, leaves behind a wife and two young sons. Visitation is Saturday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Rick Gooding Funeral Home in Cross City. The 33-year-old officer was a trained paramedic, emergency service manager and graduate of the FBI Academy.


ODOT worker found dead near Mosier after apparent fall from Interstate 84

January 16, Mosier, Oregon - An Oregon Department of Transportation employee was found dead this morning in a creek bed near Mosier after apparently falling through a gap between east and westbound lanes of the Interstate 84, according to police said. There was no indication that Paul E. Ewers, 55 of Mosier, was the victim of a crime, said Lt. Gregg Hastings, an Oregon State Police spokesman. At about 4:30 a.m., an ODOT employee found an agency vehicle parked in a construction zone in the right eastbound lane of Interstate 84 near milepost 69, Hastings said. He said the door was open and the rotating yellow beacon light was activated, but there was no sign of the Ewers.


1 dead, 1 wounded in restaurant shooting; employee is suspect

January 16, Buffalo, New York - One man is dead and another man wounded following a late morning shooting inside Merge restaurant on Delaware Avenue, authorities confirmed this afternoon. Police had a suspect in custody near the scene almost immediately. The alleged shooter and the two victims were employees of the restaurant. An initial call reporting a double shooting came in around 11:41 a.m. Three ambulances, a fire truck and about a dozen police vehicles responded, blocking northbound traffic on Delaware between Virginia and Edward streets.


Penn Township farmer dies after fall while loading grain

January 16, Bernville, Pennsylvania A Penn Township farmer was killed when he fell from the back of a tractor-trailer that he was filling with grain, a fire official said Friday. The victim, Nevin H. Rutt, 52, suffered a severe head injury when he struck a concrete slab Thursday morning, said Bernville Fire Company Chief Larry L. Rentschler. The accident occurred shortly after 7 at Rutt's farm in the 500 block of North Garfield Road, Rentschler said. Rutt died in Reading Hospital, and his death was ruled accidental due to head trauma, according to the Berks County coroner's office.


Tioga Center Firefighter killed responding to call

January 15, Tioga, New York – A Tioga firefighter was responding to a call when he struck a recycling truck, which claimed his life, around 6 a.m. Wednesday, January 13, 2010, according to WBNG.com. Police and emergency medical services (EMS) rushed to the scene of the motor vehicle accident in Tioga County. Officials arrived at the scene on State Route 17-C at the intersection of Schoonover Road. The two-vehicle crash delayed traffic for hours while police investigated and the crash scene was cleaned up. The volunteer firefighter was identified as 81-year-old Leroy Kemp. He volunteered at Tioga Center Fire Department. Tragically, Kemp’s injuries proved fatal and he was declared dead at the scene of the accident. Kemp, a former chief, was to be remembered as a “nice and energetic man,” stated officials.


Pilot dies in North Manatee plane crash

January 14, North Manatee, Florida — Sheriff’s deputy Tim Eason was getting gas Thursday afternoon at the Manatee County jail when he noticed the small plane flying overhead. It made a few loops over Airport Manatee while Eason stood chatting with jail employee Ron Gardner, then disappeared. “He noticed the plane didn’t come back up so I thought I’d head over to the field to see if it landed,” said Eason, a member of the sheriff’s agricultural crimes unit. Then he saw black smoke. After wading through muddy terrain and high grass about a half-mile from the airport, he discovered the wreckage of an ultralight aircraft. The blue-and-white 2002 Challenger crashed at 2:20 p.m. just outside a wooded area near a tomato field southwest of the airport.


PA Trooper Killed in the Line of Duty

January 14, Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania - Flags are being flown at half-staff in honor of a Pennsylvania state trooper who was killed in the line of duty Wednesday. Just after noon, two officers were checking on a woman who hadn't shown up to work in several days. As they approached her home in Cranberry Township, Trooper Paul Richey was shot and killed. Several area schools were then put on lockdown until authorities could confirm the shots had come from inside the home. Authorities believe the shooter, Michael Smith killed his wife, and then shot himself. The 40-year-old Richey had been on the force for 16 years. He's the 93rd member of the state police to be killed in the line of duty.


UMMERVILLE MAN KILLED IN WORK-RELATED ACCIDENT

January 14, Chattanooga, Tennessee - Coroner Barry Henderson has confirmed that a Chattanooga County man died Wednesday morning on Freeman Ferry Road near Canard Road, in a work-related accident. Floyd County Police said that the man identified as 39 year old William Britt Hunt, of a Summerville address was an AT&T worker. Offices reportedly drove up on the scene, just before 11:00am Wednesday they said it appeared that Hunt had become entangled in some wires as his trucks spindle was rolling up the wire. The spindle was still running when police arrived; one of the officers turned off the truck as the other called for rescue personnel. Coroner Henderson pronounced the man dead at 11:13am. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration was called to the scene, and Freeman Ferry Road was closed most of the morning the body will be sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for further examination. (Rome News Tribune)


Man falls from scaffold, dies

January 14, McPherson, Kansas - A man working for an out-of-state company at the McPherson National Cooperative Refinery Association died after he fell approximately 27 feet from a scaffold. The Monday accident is under investigation by the U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, NCRA and an independent company, Scaffolding Rental and Erection Services, based in Port Allen, La., McPherson County Sheriff Larry Powell said.


Manitowoc, OSHA probe death after fall at Shady Grove plant

January 12, Shady Grove, Pennsylvania - The Manitowoc Co. and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration said they are looking into what caused an accident that resulted in the death of an employee. Jeffrey L. Cowan, 41, Chambersburg, died Sunday as the result of injuries sustained in the Jan. 4 accident. Dennis Rooney, the company's vice president of human resources for the Americas region, said it is still unclear what caused Cowan to fall from the deck of a crane.


NOPD officer dies from injuries; driver to be booked with vehicular homicide

January 12, New Orleans, Louisiana - New Orleans Police are mourning the loss of one of their own. On Monday night, 54-year-old Officer Alfred Celestain died from injuries he sustained when a pick-up truck hit his police cruiser, while on duty early Saturday morning. Police say the driver, 24-year-old Gino Ray, Jr., was driving under the influence at the time of the crash. Investigators say Ray ran through a red light at the intersection of St. Charles Avenue and St. Joseph, and his pick-up truck plowed into the New Orleans police car.


2 Dead in Shooting at Georgia Business

January 12,Kennesaw, Georgia - Police arrived quickly on the scene of the deadly shooting -- a Penske truck rental on Barrett Lakes Boulevard -- and apprehended a suspect, a former employee according to the Penske corporation. The truck rental group also said that of the five people shot, four were employees and one was a customer. Police said the shooting in suburban Kennesaw happened inside the business Tuesday afternoon, just before 2 pm. Conflicting reports initially emerged on the number of people killed in the incident, although officer Joe Hernandez with the Cobb County police confirmed that the injured were airlifted to local hospitals, including Grady Memorial Hospital and Atlanta Medical Center.


Domino's employee dies after attack

January 12, Knightdale, North Carolina - Knightdale authorities are trying to track down an armed robber who critically injured the assistant manager of a Domino's Pizza restaurant Friday. Kenny Ring, 24, died at WakeMed around 5 p.m. Monday. Doctors say he suffered a head trauma following the attack. Now, his father is speaking out in hope of catching the suspect. "There's no justification for what was done," said Dan Ring, Kenny's father. Ring said he had all the hope in the world that his son would recover from his head trauma injuries and continue living.


BREAKING NEWS: Industrial accident leaves one dead

January 11, Glasscock County, Texas - Officials are continuing to investigate after an industrial accident left a 65-year-old man dead Monday and three others in the hospital. Johnny Mills, 65, died just before noon Monday after he was exposed to hydrogen sulfide while working in an oil field, said Glasscock County Sheriff Keith Burnett. Mills and Steven Waters, 27, were on top of a tank battery around 9:20 a.m. Monday near Farm-to-Market Road 461 about 15 miles north of Garden City when they went to open a valve and were exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas, Burnett said.


Crane operator killed at Erie GE plant

January 12, Erie County, Pennsylvania - Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook identified the victim of Monday's accident as William D. Huff, 46, who resided on East 28th Street in Erie. Cook described Huff as an experienced crane operator for the company. Huff, who worked in Building 6 at GE Transportation, was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:30 p.m. Monday by Deputy Erie County Coroner Dennis Suscheck, Cook said.


Store Owner Shot, Killed During Robbery

January 10. Orange County, Florida - A robber shot a gas station owner in the arm and the injury killed him. In newly-released surveillance video, the killer was dressed in black from head to toe. He's running into the Citgo store on Edgewater Drive near Mott Avenue (see map Sunday night. The video also shows the owner walking around and talking after he was shot.


Szuba memorial set up outside Mishawaka police headquarters

January 11, Mishawaka, Indiana - The car stationed outside the police station isn't the one that Mishawaka Police Cpl. Jim Szuba actually drove with his faithful K-9 partner, Ricky. That's because all that was left of Szuba’s patrol car following Saturday night’s deadly crash was wreckage. But the car in front of the Mishawaka Police Department’s headquarters on Church Street is there to honor Szuba, and the community has shown an outpouring of love and concern as people leave tokens of sympathy at the vehicle. One couple, a Mishawaka police officer and his wife, knew Szuba and brought mementos. But others who didn’t know the man felt they needed to come, too.


Milwaukee construction worker dies in fall

January 11, Milwaukee, Wisconsin - A man died Monday morning after falling 30 feet from the top of an elevator shaft on a construction site in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. The man was clearing snow from the top of the shaft above the roof of the under-construction Jackson Square apartment project at 159 N. Jackson St., said Tiffany Wynn, Milwaukee Fire Department spokeswoman. Milwaukee Police Department and Fire Department officials did not release the man’s name or employer before deadline Monday. According to an e-mail attributed to Anne Schwartz, Police Department spokeswoman, the man was 46 years old.


Livery Cab Driver Shot, Killed In Queens

January 9, Queens, New York - Police were searching Saturday for two men who allegedly shot and killed a livery cab driver in Long Island City, Queens late Friday. Authorities say officers answered a call of a man shot on 11th Street in Long Island City around 11:30 p.m. Friday When officers arrived, they found Brooklyn resident Jaroslaw Bielawski, 62, shot once in his car. Bielawski was pronounced dead at Cornell Medical Center


Worker Fixing Leak Dies After Hit Power Line

January 8, Seminole County, Florida - A worker fixing an underground leak Friday was killed when he hit an underground Progress Energy power line. At one point Friday afternoon, there were nearly 1,000 customers without power in the Heathrow area because of the accident. Doctors were not able to revive the worker; the sheriff's office is not yet releasing his name until they reach his loved ones. Eyewitness News learned, from the start, his chances were not good. His heart had stopped and he was not conscious. The worker, in his early 30s, suffered cardiac arrest after making contact with the underground power line. He was not a Progress Energy employee.


Man shot in W-B; no suspect in custody

January 8, Wilkes-Barre — One man has been taken to the hospital after being shot in the chest on East Union Street, police said Friday afternoon. Police do not have a suspect in custody and would only say the shooting happened around 32 East Union Street, where the Luzerne County Career Link building is located. Wilkes-Barre Police Lt. Steve Olshefski said the victim was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. Police briefly set up crime scene tape outside the building on 32 Union St., but refused to answer questions when they took it down.


One dead, Four hurt in steel mill explosion

January 8, Portage, Indiana - A steam explosion at a northwest Indiana steel mill killed one man and injured four others Thursday night. Crews were sent to Beta Steel Corporation's Melt Shop Facility at 6500 S. Boundary Road in Portage at about 7 p.m. Thursday on a report of an explosion, according to a Portage police dispatcher. One male employee was dead on the scene, Portage Fire Department Division Chief Jason Bush said. Michael Kies, 35, of 175th in Hammond, was pronounced dead on the scene at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. A Friday autopsy revealed he died of blunt force trauma to the head, Porter County Coroner Victoria Deppe said.


La Quinta man convicted of murdering cab driver sentenced to death

January 8, La Quinta, California - A La Quinta man was sentenced to death today for fatally shooting an Indio cabbie in the head during a robbery that netted $80. Christopher Guy Jasso, 37, was convicted Dec. 1 of first-degree murder for gunning down Carlos Rafael Cuellar Cardona, 30, on Sept. 7, 2003. The cab driver was found with two bullet wounds to the head on Aztec Street about 12:30 that morning.


City Employee Dies in Fire

January 7, Tuscaloosa, Alabama - Tuscaloosa City workers are mourning the loss of one of their own, after a house fire claimed the life of Tuscaloosa 311 employee Shonta Richey-Madison. Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue responded to the call at Madison-Richey's residence on 32nd Avenue East just after midnight Thursday. Deputy Chief Ken Horst with Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue says they believe the fire originated in the front living room of the home. They also believe the fire was accidental.


UPDATE: Brother of deputy killed knew shooting suspect

January 6, Beaver, Utah — Two suspects linked to Tuesday’s fatal shooting of Millard County sheriff’s deputy Josie Greathouse Fox, 37, were apprehended after being found asleep inside a shed in the Mountain View Trailer Park in Beaver. Roberto Miramontes Roman, 37, the alleged shooter, and Ruben Chavez Reyes, 36, a person of interest in the case, were taken into custody at approximately 7:45 a.m., Wednesday. The two men were fugitives highly profiled and sought after following Fox’s death.


One Dead From Tire Shop Shooting

January 6, Las Vegas, Nevada - There has been a shooting and attempted robbery inside of a tire shop at the intersection at Craig and Lamb. One person was transported to UMC Trauma Unit but later died of his injuries. Police are looking for two shooting suspects who have not been apprehended. The shooting suspects are being described as two Hispanic, adult males. One suspect is wearing a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans while the other is wearing a brown sweatshirt and blue jeans.


4 Dead after Helicopter Crashed in Madera County

January6, Fresno, California - Smoldering wreckage is all that remains of the helicopter. The victims are identified as Kevin O'Conner and Clu Cotter, both wildlife biologists from Fresno. Scientific Assistant, 31 year old Tom Stolberg, was a Fresno County resident. The pilot Dennis Donovan, was from Palm Springs. The chopper, a Bell Jet Ranger, went down after hitting one of a tangle of power lines coming from the power plant at Redinger Lake. The crash occurred at around noon on Tuesday.


Castaic man crushed to death by 5,000 pounds of granite

January 6, Los Angeles, California - A man who was crushed to death by at least 5,000 pounds of granite slabs he was unloading from a truck trailer was identified today as Jacob Israel Margalit, 44, of Castaic. Margalit was killed Monday night in the 29000 block of Avenue Sherman in Valencia in what Sgt. Bill Marsh of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department homicide bureau said was a “tragic work accident.” Margalit, the owner of Golden West Tile and Stone, and several employees were trying to unload the 12-by-8-foot slabs of stone tile from a trailer when the material fell on him, Marsh said.


Man Killed by Fallen Tile Slabs in Valencia

January 5, Valencia, California - Authorities are investigating the death of a man who was buried by slabs of tile at a warehouse in the Valencia area. The accident occurred around 7:45 p.m. Monday at at Avenue Sherman and Witherspoon Parkway, according to Los Angeles County Fire Department officials. The accident reportedly took place in an area outside a building in an industrial park. The man, said to have been 44-years-old, was apparently crushed by some 1,000 slabs of tile, which fell on top of him. Further details of the accident were not immediately disclosed.


Man dies fighting blaze

January 5, Rutherford, Tennessee - A Rutherford County man killed in a house fire on Double Springs Road got his family out of their home but apparently re-entered to try to battle the fire, a Rutherford County Sheriff's detective said. Family members and a friend later tried to drag 49-year-old Michael A. Bingham out of the burning home at 722 Double Springs Road early Monday morning, but they were unsuccessful, according to Rutherford County Sheriff's Detective Randy Groce. "He was at the back door trying to get through a window when his wife, one of her cousins and neighbor tried to help drag him out. They were forced back due to heat and smoke from the fire," Groce said. "There was just no way they could have gotten him out."


Man identified in industrial mishap

January 5, A Battle Creek man, John Barlow, 52, was killed this morning in an industrial accident at Hi-Lex Corp., 5200 Wayne Road. Battle Creek police said Barlow, a 25-year employee, was operating a fork lift about 10:45 a.m. when he was either knocked off or was ducking after several large plastic containers began to topple onto the machine. Investigators said the man's leg became caught and he was dragged by the fork lift and crushed between the machine and other containers. He was pronounced dead at the
scene.


Earl B. Farley Jr., former Clinton Township dairy farmer, has died

January 4, Lopatcong Township, New Jersey — Earl B. Farley Jr. died Monday, Jan. 4, 2010 at the Lopatcong Care Center. He was 75. He was born Jan. 19, 1934 in the Round Valley section of Clinton Township and had lived there most of his life, living a short time in Washington before moving to Lopatcong in 2004. He was the son of Earl B. Farley Sr. and Carrie M. Pickel Farley.


Funeral for Nepalese clerk killed in Boston

January 14, Cambridge, Massachusetts - Today was an emotional day for relatives of the Boston convenience store clerk, who was murdered on the job, just one day after Christmas. A Hindu funeral service took place today in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for Surendra Dangol. He had been working in the United States, trying to save money with the hopes of one day bringing his family overseas. It is a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking sound -- the wailing of a wife, who has lost her husband. This is the first time Kalpana Dangol and her nine-year-old daughter have been to the U.S. They have come to a chapel not their own -- at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. It was for a funeral Mass for 39-year-old Surendra Dangol, the Nepal native who was shot and killed late last month during a robbery at the Tedeschi convenience store in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood, where he was a clerk.


Grant County officer dies…

January 14, Grant County, Alabama - A Grant County Sheriff’s Department deputy has died. Around 7:20 p.m. deputy John Bernard of Moses Lake rolled his car while on a routine patrol. He was declared dead at the scene. Bernard was 52-years-old. He was a four year veteran of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and had previously served as a Grant County Corrections Officer from 1997 to 2002.


Alabama Officer Dies 16 Years After Shooting

January 14, Guntersville, Alabama - A Guntersville officer paralyzed by a gunshot 16 years ago died on Jan. 1 and was buried yesterday, according to The Huntsville Times. Officer Tommy Bishop, 63, suffered health issues and constant pain from the wound sustained in a domestic disturbance call in July 1993 after he was shot by Cecil Eugene Looney, who also shot his wife. Dozens of police officers filled up a third of Arab Heritage Memorial Chapel during his funeral service. The officer wasn't wearing his bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting and following the incident said he had worn it "religiously" until the Velcro straps wore out.