Weekly Toll

Newton food services worker dies on the job Thursday

March 26, Newton, Massachusetts - A truck driver for the schools’ food services department died on the job Thursday at Newton North, according to school officials. JohnBoardman, 70, of Newton, was found unconscious in his truck at the loading dock at 6:30 p.m., according to food service director Rob Clickstein. Food services staff called 911 and Boardman was taken to St. Elizabeth’s, Clickstein said, but he died at the hospital.


Worker Dies Of Apparent Electrocution

March 27, Boston, Massachusetts - A 52-year-old man died after suffering a heart attack at his job site in Fitchburg on Saturday, and police believe he may have been electrocuted while he was rewiring a motor. Police received a 911 call at about 11:22 a.m. Saturday stating that a worker at the Creative Biomass Inc. facility at 22 Kimball Place was not breathing. Paramedics performed CPR on the man and transported him to Leominster Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.


I-405 bridge named after road worker killed by drunken driver

March 26, Seattle, Washington - The Interstate-405 bridge over Northeast 116th Street in Kirkland was dedicated Friday to a construction worker killed by a drunken driver during the I-405 widening project. The Kollin Nielson Memorial Bridge was dedicated during a ceremony Friday attended by his family, friends and co-workers, WSDOT reports. WSDOT sent out a news release about the ceremony that included this excerpt: The dedication serves as a somber reminder of how dangerous working in a construction zone can be. A husband and father, Nielson was killed while working on the Interstate 405 Kirkland widening project. Nielson, described by co-workers as a kind-hearted and loving friend, was only 30 years old and an employee of Kiewit Construction Company.


UPDATE: Worker dies after being shocked at Delran complex

March 26, Delran, Pennsylvania — One of two workers that were shocked by a power line at the Hunters Glen Apartments complex has died, police said Friday. According to investigators, Pawel Pieklo, 52, of Trenton, and Jiri Niederle, 41, of Morrisville, Pa., were working at Building 27 in the complex off Route 130 at around 4:45 p.m. p.m. when a ladder they were moving cam into contact with some overhead wires. The two suffered severe electrical burns and were taken to area hospitals, police said. Pieklo was taken to Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County in Willingboro, where he was pronounced dead Thursday night.


Worker dies after falling into pit in Cleburne

March 26, Cleburne, Texas — A 53-year-old contract worker died after falling into a pit at a water tower construction site in Cleburne. A statement from the city of Cleburne, located about 25 miles south of Fort Worth, says the accident happened Friday morning. An autopsy has been ordered. Cleburne Fire Chief Clint Ishmael says the man fell into a 3-foot deep concrete pit and was unconscious when paramedics arrived. The man was taken to Texas Health Resources in Cleburne, where he was pronounced dead.


1 killed, 1 hurt when train engines derail in ND

March 26, Washburn, North Dakota — Authorities say one railroad worker has been killed and another hurt in a train derailment south of Washburn. Two railroad employees, right, with the Dakota Missouri Valley Western Railroad survey the scene of a derailment shortly after two engines rolled down an embankment above Turtle Creek, Thursday, March 25, 2010 near Washburn, N.D. Authorities say one railroad worker has been killed and another hurt in a train derailment south of Washburn.


Employee of Ulster County-based skydiving company dies in Texas mishap

March 26, Port Aransas, Texas — A man employed by an Ulster County skydiving outfit died Thursday after crashing through a condo roof in Texas while photographing people parachuting in tandem, authorities said on Thursday. The man was not identified. Police said he was a Hungarian national who worked for Sky Dive Atlas of Gardiner, which also operates in Texas and was handling the morning jump.


3 crew killed in medical chopper crash in Tenn.

March 25, Brownsville, Tennesee — A medical helicopter crashed in a thunderstorm in western Tennessee early Thursday, killing a pilot and two nurses on a return trip from delivering a patient. There were no survivors. Another medical helicopter had declined to make a flight in the area at the time because of the weather. Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Jeremy Heidt in Nashville said the flight crashed in a field near Brownsville around 6 a.m. CDT.


Fast-food employee killed in parking lot shooting

March 25, Las Vegas, Nevada - A 23-year-old woman who was a Jack in the Box employee was shot to death this morning in the parking lot of the fast-food restaurant. Metro Police responded at 5:45 a.m. to the business at 7510 W. Lake Mead Blvd. after a caller reported the shooting. That location is near Lake Mead Boulevard's intersection with Buffalo Drive. Police spokeswoman Barbara Morgan said the woman had arrived in her vehicle in the parking lot when she was shot. No arrests have been made.


Worker killed on the job at Lansing salt mine

March 25, Rochester, New York - Grief counselors will be on hand Thursday morning at the Cargill Salt Mine in Lansing, following the death of worker killed on the job. Lansing is located near Ithaca. Company leaders say around 6 p.m. on Wednesday a truck was loading salt from a large bin when the container collapsed. It killed the worker and injured another worker. Investigators are not what caused the failure with the salt bin. The company is not sure when operations at the mine will resume.


Police officer dies in traffic accident

March 24, St. Louis, Missouri - Police have arrested a suspect connected to a high speed chase Wednesday that ended with the death of a rookie officer. Investigators have not released details about the man they arrested. Officer David Haynes, 27, was killed when his patrol car collided with two other vehicles at South Kingshighway and Oleatha. Authorities said the cruiser's lights and sirens were on as Haynes pursued a burglary suspect.


Kroger employee dies following store accident

March 24, Franklin, Indiana - Lori Keen, 32, leaves behind family including a husband and a daughter. The Franklin woman was hurt March 15th while working in the stock area of the Franklin Kroger. Keen died this weekend after being taken off life support. She was working with a pallet jack that's used to move large quantities of bundled groceries. Keen was seriously injured by a pallet of bottled water. Kroger says their investigation and one being conducted by IOSHA are not yet complete.


Man shot and killed came to US to get MBA

March 23, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - A single rose is now on the front door of the SK food store near NW 23rd and MacArthur after a part-time employee was shot and killed. Two days after the shooting, Oklahoma City police are now releasing a surveillance video of the suspects dragging the clerk on floor and forcing him to open the cash register at gun point. While the gunmen were inside the store, police say a man was acting as a look out and walked by the outside camera during the robbery. And after the crooks got what they wanted, they shot and killed Prashanth Goinaka who recently moved to the United States from India earlier this year.


Construction worker killed in McLean

March 23, Fairfax County, Virginia - A construction worker was killed in McLean Tuesday after he was crushed by heavy equipment, ABC 7 reports. The worker was on a job at the Madeira School on Georgetown Pike. The incident is under investigation by Fairfax County police.


Kroger employee dies after accident

March 23, Franklin, Indiana - A Kroger employee, who was seriously injured when cases of bottled water fell on her, has died. 24-Hour News 8 has learned the woman was working in the stock area of the Franklin Kroger last week when the accident happened. She was in cardiac arrest and unresponsive when paramedics arrived at the store, Franklin Fire Department spokesman Ryan Piercefield said.


Galt man dies in industrial accident

March 23, Lodi, California - A 37-year-old Galt man died on the job in Merced County after a large pipe rolled over him last week. Benjamin Novoa was pronounced dead at the scene Thursday in Le Grand, according to the Merced County Sheriff's Office. The town is between Merced and Chowchilla. Novoa was working for Stockton-based Cal-Sierra Pipe Inc., unloading pipes from a flatbed trailer, said Krisann Chasarik, spokeswoman for the California Department of Industrial Relations. The department investigates industrial workplace accidents.


Carrie Underwood truck driver killed in Saturday crash

March 22, Hartford, Connecticut - A truck driver carrying staging equipment for Carrie Underwood's Play On tour died Saturday morning when his rig crashed on I-95 in Connecticut. According to a story published on the Hartford Courant website, the tractor trailer "veered off the left shoulder, scraping along 400 feet of guardrail. The guardrail ripped open the truck's fuel tank, igniting diesel as it spilled and engulfing the driver's portion of the tractor trailer into flames right before it careening into a bridge abutment where I-95 passes over Taugwonk Road."


Linden cab driver killed in his taxi in Roselle over the weekend

March 22, Roselle, New Jersey - A taxi driver was found dead in his cab Friday night in Roselle, the Union County Prosecutor's Office said this morning. His death was determined to be a homicide by the medical examiner's office. John "Jack" Zych, 57, of Linden was found by police sprawled across the front seats of his cab at around 10:30 p.m. Friday in the 900 block of Drake Avenue, according to a statement from the office of Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow.


California Sgt. Dies 30 Years After Being Shot

March 22, Orange County, California - Being fatally shot in the line of duty didn't stop Orange County Sheriff's Sgt. Ira G. Essoe from living another 29 good years. Paralyzed by a bullet from the chest down in 1980, beset by numerous infections and illnesses over the years, Essoe still enjoyed a loving wife and three children who followed his career into law enforcement - a profession he never stopped loving. Now, the profession is loving him back. Essoe, 69, died Feb. 4 of "delayed complications" from gunshot wounds he suffered Nov. 6, 1980, during an attempted car theft in Orange, the coroner has ruled. Technically, he succumbed to sepsis, in which the bloodstream becomes overwhelmed by bacteria.


Man dies in Pasco after cutting himself trimming a tree

March 22, Tampa, Florida - When rescuers arrived Friday evening, 48-year-old Daniel Clifford Antrobus was 40 feet above the ground harnessed to a tree and bleeding profusely. But the tree trimmer with Bottom Dollar Tree Service at some point stopped talking while Pasco Fire Rescue workers attempted to remove him from the tree outside 8305 Sycamore Drive, New Port Richey, shortly after 5 p.m., according to a Pasco Sheriff's Office report. His right leg was cut to the bone, the report states. He was flown by medical helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, where he was pronounced dead about 6:45 p.m.


Comcast Worker Shot Dead In Attempted Robbery

March 22, Baltimore, Maryland - Baltimore City Police say a Comcast worker was fatally shot in East Baltimore Sunday morning after what they believe to be an attempted robbery. The victim has been identified as 50 year-old Carlos Williams. Authorities say Williams was in his van in the 1900 block of Boone Street just before six o'clock when he was approached by several suspects.


Utility worker struck by car dies of injuries

March 21,Valparaiso, Indiana - A Valparaiso utility worker has died, three days after he was struck by a car on Calumet Avenue. Bryan Marzullo never regained consciousness after sustaining massive head and internal injuries when a car collided with him as he was working on the roadside just north of Burlington Beach Road on Tuesday afternoon, said Marzullo's wife, Susan. He died Friday morning at Parkview Hospital Trauma Center in Fort Wayne. A funeral service will be next week at Moeller Funeral Home in Valparaiso.


Federal Way Officer Found Dead In Patrol Car

March 22, Federal Way, Washington - A four-year veteran of the Federal Way Police Department was found dead in his patrol car at the scene of an officer-involved shooting early Sunday, reported KIRO 7 Eyewitness News. Responding officers initiated CPR, but were unable to revive him. The deceased officer was found after other officers responded to a call at 1:15 a.m. about a suspicious vehicle located in the 33300 block of 26th Avenue Southwest in Federal Way in which two people were reported to be seen sleeping in the back, police said. The SUV was backed up against a vacant home.


Comcast Worker Shot, Killed In Baltimore

March 21, Baltimore - Police continued to investigate Monday after a Comcast worker was fatally shot in east Baltimore. Carlos Williams, 50, died in the Sunday morning shooting. Police said Williams was sitting in his work van, in the 1900 block of Boone Street, when several suspects approached the vehicle just before 6 a.m. Before Williams could close the door, at least one of the suspects opened fire. Williams was hit multiple times.


7-Eleven clerk in Kansas City shot dead during last day on the job

March 17, Kansas City, Missouri - The conscientious convenience store worker followed the script — but the heartless armed thug didn't. A Kansas City 7-Eleven clerk working his final shift was fatally shot by a robber on what was his last shift working for the store, according to The Associated Press, and police have no idea why. Gurpreet Singh, 35, handed over the cash in a bag — and the gunman fired a shot into his abdomen Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.


Contract worker at Dow killed

March 19, Plaquemine, Louisiana — A Dow Chemical Co. contract worker was killed beneath the wheels of a tractor-trailer truck early Friday, Maj. Johnny Blanchard of the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office said Friday. David Montero, 61, of Donaldsonville, was working as a flagman directing an 18-wheeler as it backed down a side street at 1:47 a.m. Friday, Blanchard said. The flagman died instantly when he either tripped or fell beneath the rear wheels of the rig, Blanchard said.


Employee Identified In Fatal Accident At Tulsa's Spirit Aerosystems

March 19, Tulsa, Oklahoma - The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office has identified the Spirit Aerosystems worker who died Friday in an industrial accident outside the company facility at Tulsa International Airport. TCSO says the man was 58-year-old Roger Brooner. The accident happened at about 9 a.m. when Brooner was under the cab of a semi truck working on its air brake system, according to Sergeant Eric Kitch of the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office. "Somehow the truck went mobile and went over the top of him," Kitch said.


Galt Man Killed In Industrial Accident

March 18, Le Grand, California -- The Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating an industrial accident that killed a Galt man. Deputies said 30-year-old Benjamin Novoa was loading large steel pipes on a truck bed when one got loose and knocked him to the ground. After Novoa fell, the pipe rolled off the truck and over him. The accident was reported Thursday on White Rock Road. Officials said Novoa got up, and workers told him to lie down, but his condition got worse. Medics later pronounced him dead at the scene.


Man dies in accident at Lexington landfill

March 18, Lexington, Kentucky - Authorities say a man was killed when he was pinned between two trash bins at a landfill in Lexington. Officials say 27-year-old Jesse Hodges was helping load trash bins for transport Wednesday when the accident happened. Hodges was pronounced dead at University of Kentucky Hospital around 2:40 p.m. He was an employee of Demolition Disposal Services. The company's president, Troy Thompson, estimates that each trash bin weighed more than 1,000 pounds.

Cab driver found dead outside cab: police

March 18, Chicago, Illinois - A North Side cab driver who was found lying on the ground outside of his cab early Thursday in the Loop has died. Angelis Kouzios, 62, was found at 239 E. Randolph St., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. About 2 a.m., a cab with a passenger drove past when the passenger saw a man on the ground outside next to another cab, police said. The man had parked the vehicle and was apparently having a cigarette break when it appears he had a heart attack, police said. The passenger called authorities and an ambulance to the location, according to police.


Construction worker dies after headfirst fall into a hole

March 17, Hermosa Beach, California - Last week, area emergency and rescue crews spent nearly three hours in Hermosa Beach trying to recover the body of a construction worker who died after falling into a hole. The accident occurred March 10 at around 10:30 a.m. at 402 Sixth St. near Cypress Street. Alejandro Valladares, 29, fell approximately 30 feet headfirst into the bottom of a hole from a raised forklift and was killed. The investigation is still ongoing according to Cal/OSHA, the California branch of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.


PG&E worker dies on the job in Benicia

March 17, Benicia, California - An official with the Solano County Coroner's Office identified Maximilliano Martinez as the worker killed Wednesday. Martinez was from Windsor. PG&E spokesman Jeff Smith says the 26-year-old general construction lineman was electrocuted Wednesday morning.


VIDEO AND AUDIO: Officer killed responding to complaint

March 16, Elyria, Ohio — Elyria police Officer James Kerstetter yelled into his microphone, "I've been shot!" and thus began the terrible sequence of events Monday night where a routine call to handle a neighbor's complaint against another neighbor turned tragic. Kerstetter, 43, died from multiple gunshot wounds and a head injury and was pronounced dead at EMH Regional Medical Center, according to Lorain County Coroner Dr. Paul Matus. He was allegedly shot by Ronald Palmer, 326 18th St., Elyria, inside the house.






Man killed while working on lawn mower

March 16, Bremen, Indiana - Marshall County police reported Jared Smith, 33, was killed after he was pinned underneath an industrial size lawn mower Monday evening. Police, fire and EMS responded to the accident in the 5700 block of 1st road just before 6pm. County police said Smith was working on the lawn mower when the jack failed and fell on top of him. Smith was killed by the weight of the machine. Marshall County police are investigating the accident with the help of the coroner's office.


Police seek driver who struck, killed construction worker in Lake County

March 16, Lake Station, Indiana — Police are searching for a driver who fled on foot after his speeding car struck and killed a construction worker on a northwestern Indiana highway. State police say a crew was patching potholes in a construction zone on westbound Interstate 80-94 in Lake Station when 45-year-old Christopher Jenkins was hit about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday and thrown through the car's windshield.

Procession honors slain Ohio State employee

March 15, Columbus, Ohio - Hundreds have turned out on the Ohio State University campus to show support during the burial procession of an employee gunned down by a subordinate. Forty-8-year-old building services manager Larry Wallington was killed early last Tuesday in a university maintenance building by a janitor about to be fired. Nathaniel Brown also shot and wounded another of his bosses before taking his own life. Wallington's funeral was Sunday. For Monday's procession, Ohio State had encouraged students, faculty and others to line the route, and the crowd stood three deep in spots.


Motel worker's death ruled a homicide

March 14, Eustis, Florida- Authorities are calling the death of a woman whose body was found in an Eustis motel room a homicide. Kimmy Sue Edwards' body was reportedly discovered Friday at the Cara Mar Motel. The 46-year-old woman worked at the motel. A police sergeant told the Orlando Sentinel that the death was classified as a homicide Saturday. Investigators are looking for a man who they believe is a person of interest in the case.


Ohio cop dies of 'cardiac incident' after chase

March 15, Cleveland Heights, Ohio — The coroner's office lists a "cardiac incident" as the tentative cause of death for a Cleveland area police officer who died while on duty Saturday. Thirty-year-old Thomas Patton II collapsed while chasing a suspect on foot and later died at a hospital. He was the son of state Sen. Thomas Patton and had been an officer on the Cleveland Heights police force for seven years. Police Chief Martin Lentz says several officers were chasing a person around 8:45 p.m. Saturday when Patton stopped suddenly and doubled over, then began running again before collapsing. Cleveland Heights Mayor Edward Kelley says Officer Patton loved protecting the city and died a hero.


Minden man dies in work-related accident

March 12, Minden, Louisiana – A Minden man died today from complications of a fall into rail car at Camp Minden, authorities said. The victim is identified as Shannon Sampson, 30, a supervisor with GATX Rail Field. Sampson suffered a loss of oxygen which caused him to pass out and fall, Webster Parish sheriff’s public information officer Jenny Reynolds said in an e-mail. Sampson was flown from the scene to a Shreveport hospital, where he later died. Bossier Parish Fire District No. 1 Assistant Chief Skip Pinkston told deputies the oxygen level in the rail car was 7.3 percent, “which is about half of what we need to function,” Webster Parish Sheriff Gary Sexton said.


Natural Gas Rig Worker Dead After 20 Foot Fall

March 12, Towanda, New York - A gas drilling worker is dead after falling from a rig in Towanda. Police say 31-year-old Greg Henry of Athens, Tennessee was trying to dislodge a handrail on a moving drilling unit. The handrail gave way, and Henry fell at about 20 feet. Police say the fall caused a severe head injury and Henry was pronounced dead at the scene. OSHA is investigating. If the inspector finds safety violations at the site, the rig operator, Chesapeake Energy, will be fined.


Construction Worker Killed In Trench Collapse

March 10, Hermosa Beach, California - Officials say a construction worker died Wednesday when he became buried head-first during a trench collapse in Hermosa Beach. It took firefighters more than two and one half hours to extricate the man. The construction worker remains unidentified until his next of kin can be notified. Firefighters were sent to Sixth Street and Cypress Avenue about 10:30 a.m., said Mick Gaglia of the Hermosa Beach Police Department. The man was buried head-first, with only a portion of his leg exposed, according to authorities. He was declared dead at the scene.


Collapsed sewer trench killed construction worker in Alamo, TX

March 5, Alamo, Texas — A worker who was trapped in a collapsed trench died Friday afternoon, March 5, 2010. The 25-year-old construction worker was about six feet underground near the intersection of South Tower and Ridge roads when the fatal workplace accident occurred, as reported by The Monitor. The worker, Rigoberto Tovar, a Mexican national, was installing a storm swear line around noon when the trench collapsed, pinning Tovar to a sewer main. Tovar was reportedly standing in a 6-foot-deep trench when the dirt sides of the trench collapsed onto Tovar, knocking him into the sewer main, killing him instantly. Responding emergency medical services (EMS) teams pronounced Tovar dead at the scene.


Frankfort man dies in work-related accident

March 11, Frankfort, Illinois - Frankfort resident Mike Gryga, 41, was killed on the job with Peoples Gas Wednesday, March 3, during a pressure test he was conducting below Jackson Boulevard and Wacker Drive in Chicago, according to Chicago Fire Department officials. Gryga and his co-workers were testing a 20-inch pipe for air pressure when the accident occurred, said Bonnie Johnson, manager of public relations for Peoples Gas. The test was part of the Wacker Drive reconstruction project. According to witnesses, Gryga and his partner were in a construction hole testing the pipe when there was a loud pop and dust billowed above the street.


Officer killed in Lake Shore Drive crash honored

March 10, Chicago, Illinois - A Chicago police officer who died in the line of duty last month was honored Wednesday at City Council. Aldermen paid tribute to Officer Alan Haymaker. His family and police superintendent Jody Weis were on hand. Haymaker died last month as he was responding to a burglary. His squad car crashed on Lake Shore Drive.


Prince George's police officer, 27, dies after car crash

March 11, There's a photo that shows Thomas P. Jensen wearing a Prince George's County police uniform when he was 4 years old, friends said. Sure, it was just a Halloween costume, but everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Jensen would be wearing the uniform for real. Maybe it was because Jensen's dad was a Prince George's officer who didn't mind taking his son to work. Maybe it was because many of Jensen's friends became cops, too. Whatever the case, Jensen knew from a young age that he was meant to be a police officer, and almost as soon he was 21, he made the dream a reality. But one day last month, Jensen, 27, was rushing to a call about a man who had gotten high on PCP and broken into a woman's apartment by throwing concrete through a window, police said.


Police: Man dies in shootout after killing 1 officer, wounding another in Jackson, Mich.

March 9, Jackson, Michigan — A man opened fire at two police officers who were responding to a domestic disturbance call, killing one officer and wounding the other early Tuesday before being fatally shot, authorities said. The shootout occurred around 12:30 a.m. when the officers entered 63-year-old Elvin Potts' home in Jackson, a city about 70 miles west of Detroit. Potts revealed a handgun and shot at the officers three times, police said. One officer returned fire, killing Potts. Jackson police Officer James Bonneau, 26, was pronounced dead at a hospital, Jackson County Undersheriff Tom Finco said.





Ohio State Employee Kills Co-Worker, Then Self, Police Say

March 9, An Ohio State University custodian who had been told he was being fired killed a co-worker and wounded another before killing himself early Tuesday morning at a university maintenance building, officials said. No students were involved in the 3:30 a.m. shooting, and classes were held as scheduled on Tuesday. The gunman was identified as Nathaniel Brown, 51. The university released documents indicating that Mr. Brown’s supervisors had complained that he was often late to work, frequently slept on the job and refused to follow instructions. The university sent him a letter on March 2 informing him that he was being fired and that his last day of work would be Saturday.


Worker killed when truck strikes pole

Kanawha County, West Virginia - A man was killed over the weekend when the Appalachian Electric Power truck he was driving crashed into a utility pole in eastern Kanawha County. Kanawha County sheriff's deputies said the accident happened about 6 a.m. Sunday on Kellys Creek Road near Mammoth. The large pickup ran off the roadway and struck a utility pole and tree, deputies said. Investigators said a fire ignited by the crash was mostly contained to the cab. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene Sunday morning. His body was transported to the state Medical Examiner's Office for positive identification.


Worker found dead at Tyson Foods plant

March 8, Houston, Texas - A Tyson Foods employee died during what appears to be an accident at an east Houston plant Sunday evening, authorities said. Police received a call around 7 p.m. from the unidentified victim's co-worker, who found him dead in the attic of the Tyson Foods Plant at 300 Portwall, authorities said. At this time, the man's death appears to be accidental, authorities said. No further details about the incident were available at this time.


Second death at New Mexico refinery confirmed

March 8, Artesia, New Mexico — A second man is confirmed dead in last week's refinery explosion and fire at Navajo Refinery in the southeastern New Mexico community of Artesia. Authorities located one body immediately after the March 2 fire, but had said a second man was missing and presumed dead. Navajo Refinery's parent company, Holly Corp. of Dallas, announced this weekend that the second fatality has been confirmed. Artesia police earlier identified the two men as Natividad Andajo of Odessa, Texas, and Victor Villa of Midland, Texas.


OPSO confirms death of officer shot on Thursday

March 7, Monroe, Louisiana - The Ouachita Parish sheriff’s office has confirmed the death of Cpl. J.R. Searcy. An eight-year veteran deputy of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, Searcy was in critical condition for two days at St. Francis Medical Center after being shot while on an aggravated assault call. Searcy was shot once Thursday evening by Michael Tanner. Tanner was suspected of trying to run over some people with a vehicle when Searcy accompanied another deputy to the scene. Upon arriving at the scene, Searcy, with a stun gun in his hand, ordered Tanner to put his hands behind his head. As Tanner was raising his hands, he pulled a hangun and fired, shooting Searcy once.


Worker found dead at Tyson Foods plant

March 8, Houston, Texas - A Tyson Foods employee died during what appears to be an accident at an east Houston plant Sunday evening, authorities said. Police received a call around 7 p.m. from the unidentified victim's co-worker, who found him dead in the attic of the Tyson Foods Plant at 300 Portwall, authorities said. At this time, the man's death appears to be accidental, authorities said. No further details about the incident were available at this time.


Backhoe operator killed in an accident at the Hanford BPA project

March 5, New York, New York - A fatal accident at a Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) substation on the Hanford nuclear reservation left a backhoe operator dead on Monday, March 1, 2010. The Castle Rock resident was killed around 9:00 a.m., in an undisclosed accident, as reported by the Tri-City Herald. Kelly Loyd of Castle Rock, was reportedly operating a Bobcat with a backhoe while doing some excavation work at the White Bluffs substation with a BPA crew when the accident occurred. The details of the accident, including what caused it and what exactly happened, have not yet been released by officials. Emergency medical services (EMS) teams were dispatched to scene, where they then transported Loyd to Kadelc Regional Medical Center in Richland for treatment of his serious injuries. Shortly after arriving Lyod was pronounced dead by attending medical professionals. His injuries were not specified. Christenson Electric Inc. reportedly employed Loyd at his time of death.


Construction worker killed Alamo accident

March 5, Rio Grande Valley, Texas - A 25-year-old construction worker lost his life following an accident at a road expansion project in Alamo. Authorities told Action 4 News that the accident happened of South Tower and Ridge Roads around noon Friday. Investigators said the man normally worked as a flagger to direct traffic. But authorities said he went to help co-workers working in a trench on Friday. The 25-year-old worker had been inside the trench for 10 minutes when he started to leave. Investigators said dirt gave way underneath causing him to fall and hit his cheekbone on a pipe.


Frederick Harrington killed in fall from construction site

March 5, Rochester, New York - Rochester police have identified the 44-year-old East Rochester man who died Thursday after falling from the top of an office building under construction at Monroe Avenue and Alexander Street. Frederick Harrington was pronounced dead at 4:05 p.m. at the Strong Memorial Hospital, according to police. Harrington was not conscious when he was taken by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, said LaShay Harris, spokeswoman for Rural/Metro Medical Services. He was pronounced dead at 4:05 p.m. at the hospital, according to Rochester police.


Man killed in fight over Laurens Co. parking spot

March 5, Gray Court, South Carolina — Investigators say a 50-year-old employee at a South Carolina car lot was killed by a fellow worker in a fight over a parking space. Authorities told multiple media outlets that Randy Lyn Fuller became upset on Thursday because a car was blocking in another vehicle that was about to be shipped at Classic Cars of South Carolina in Gray Court. Investigators say Fuller got into a scuffle with the other employee and died during the fight.


Man dies after falling off roof at NY work site

March 5, Rochester, NY - Authorities say a 44-year-old man has died after falling from the top of an office building under construction in Rochester. Police say the construction worker from East Rochester was at the Alexander Park Professional Center site when he fell Thursday afternoon. The man was taken by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital, where police say he was pronounced dead a short time later. Police say the man, an employee of the Finger Lakes Service Group, was working on the two-story roof when he fell.

Man killed when truck rolls over at Phoenix construction site

March 4, Phoenix, Arizona - A man was killed after his semitruck rolled over and slammed into another truck at a construction site in Phoenix on Thursday morning, officials said. The driver of the semitruck was headed east on the construction site near Loop 303 and Lake Pleasant Road in an area that was being graded, Phoenix Sgt. Trent Crump said. The driver of the truck tried to get around a grader on the road, Crump said. The driver of the semitruck lost control of the truck and trailer. He flipped the vehicle and it slid sideways on the grated surface, hitting a water truck head-on, Crump said. The water truck wasn't occupied but was loaded with water.


Man dies in Waseca grain bin accident

March 4, Austin, Minnesota - A popular father of four died after becoming trapped in a grain bin on his farm in Waseca Thursday morning. James Eaton, 49, was trying to dislodge frozen corn inside the grain bin when the corn shifted and buried him, according to the Waseca County Sheriff's Office. Rescuers worked for two hours, using pails, shoves and a shop vac to move the corn, in an attempt to try to free him. But by the time they reached him, he had suffocated. Eaton's friend Odean Johnson said he was, "A good farmer well-respected person."


Dump Truck Rolls, Kills Worker

March 4, Phoenix, Arizona - A construction worker is dead after the dump truck he was driving rolled off the road and pinned him, a representative of the Peoria Fire Department said. The incident happened at about 7:30 a.m. Thursday in the vicinity of the new Loop 303 under construction and 75th Avenue. Helicopter footage showed the truck on its side and at least one fire engine at the scene.


Pueblo County man killed in tractor accident

March 4, Pueblo, Colorado - A 64-year-old driving a farm tractor in southern Colorado was killed when his tractor was hit from behind by a minivan. Sixty-4-year-old Paul Bregar died Wednesday afternoon on a highway east of Pueblo. The Colorado State Patrol says that the farmer was hit by a minivan, flipping the tractor. Bregar was pinned under his John Deere tractor and pronounced dead on the scene. The van driver has not been named.


Man Dies After Fight With Co-Worker

March 4, Laurens County, South Carolina - A man is dead after a fist fight with a co-worker over a parked car at Classic Cars of South Carolina in Gray Court, the sheriff said. A 50-year-old man is dead after a fist fight with a co-worker at Classic Cars of South Carolina. Laurens County Coroner Nick Nichols said 50-year-old Randy Lynn Fuller worked at the car restoration and sales business. He lived in a trailer on the business property at 2424 South Frontage Road just off Interstate 385. Witnesses said that Fuller was unhappy about a parked car that was blocking another vehicle and he got into a fight with another employee about it.


Family of fatal-accident victim thanks bystander

March 4, Chicago, Illinois - The family of a utility worker who was killed in an industrial accident Wednesday thanked a bystander who stepped in to help. It comes as the family members mourn their loss. "With heavy hearts and tons of happy memories, we can't even put into words the depth of our loss," said Ron Gryga, victim's brother. Ron Gryga praised his late brother, Michael Gryga, 39, in a statement Thursday.


One Peoples Gas worker killed in Chicago mishap

March 3, Chicago, Illinois - One Peoples Gas company worker was killed and another injured on Wednesday in a mishap involving a pipe they were pressure-testing, Chicago authorities said. The workers were pressure-testing a 20-inch main pipeline with compressed air inside a reinforced hole near the Willis Tower in downtown Chicago when the incident occurred, a Peoples Gas spokeswoman said. It was not immediately clear what happened, but no gas was involved and service was not interrupted, the spokeswoman said. A passerby told local radio he heard a "boom and then a whoosh" followed by a cloud of dust emerging from the hole. Another passerby climbed in to help before firefighters arrived to remove the workers.


Publix cashier killed in shooting

March 3, Orlando, Florida - A Publix supermarket cashier died Wednesday morning after she was shot by her estranged husband. After Andreau Yankton, 62, shot Anicia Yankton, 34, he left the store and turned the gun on himself in the parking lot, authorities said. The shooting occurred around 10 p.m. Tuesday. Terrified shoppers dropped their groceries and ran when they heard the gunfire.


Navajo Oil Refinery Tank Fire Kills Two Workers (Update2)

March 3, Artesia, New Mexico - A fire late yesterday at an asphalt tank at Holly Corp.’s Navajo oil refinery killed two workers, a local police spokesman said by telephone. Two contractors working at the tank died and two were transported to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas for treatment, said Sergeant Lindell Smith of the Artesia, New Mexico police department, where the Navajo plant is located. Holly, the owner of refineries and pipelines in the U.S. Southwest, earlier said the fire at an asphalt storage tank under construction “likely” killed a worker, in a statement on PRNewswire. The blaze occurred at about 12:40 p.m. local time and was extinguished in about 90 minutes by the refinery’s fire fighting units.


Construction worker killed in Hanford accident

March 2, Tri-Cities, Washington - A backhoe operator was fatally injured in a construction accident at a Bonneville Power Administration substation on the Hanford nuclear reservation. BPA spokesman Doug Johnson says Kelly Loyd of Castle Rock was doing some excavation work Monday at the White Bluffs substation when he was injured. He was taken to Kadlec Medical Center in Richland where he died. Loyd was employed by Christenson Electric Inc.


Cops: Dunkin Donuts employee dies after fall into sewage pit while dumping garbage

March 1, Smithtown, New York — A snow plow might have jarred loose the cover of a sewage pit where a teenager doughnut shop worker fell and died while taking out the trash, investigators said Monday. Amiri Zeqiri, 17, slipped into an open cesspool behind a Dunkin' Donuts Sunday night in Smithtown, about 40 miles east of New York City, police said. There usually was a manhole cover over the cesspool, a hole in the ground that collects waste from toilets and sinks, they said.


Taxi driver dies following collision with man accused of driving drunk

March 1, Orange, Texas - A taxi driver was surrounded by his family Monday night when doctors removed him from life support after his vehicle was struck by a man charged with driving drunk. 64-year-old Patrick Pratt died one day after the collision at Phelan and 23rd in Beaumont. Beaumont police say James Robert White, 44, of Buna, was speeding, ran a red light and crashed into the taxi at about 7 a.m. Sunday. Police arrested him for intoxication assault. That charge is likely to be upgraded to intoxicated manslaughter now that Pratt has died.


2 men trimming trees killed in power line electrocution

March 1, Spartanburg, South Carolina - Authorities say two Spartanburg men died by electrocution Sunday when an extension ladder they were using to trim a tree at their Canaan Road home made contact with a power line. Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger did not release the names of the victims Sunday, and he said positive identification would take until this afternoon because of the extent of the victims' injuries. The horrific scene rattled veteran firefighters who had to stand by for more than 20 minutes until the power line could be disconnected. Clevenger said the victims were removing limbs on a tree at 375 Canaan Road in the Arkwright community when the accident occurred around 2:30 p.m.


Clerk killed in fight with robber at truck stop

March 1, Rock Hill, South Carolina - Police say a robber shot and killed a clerk at a South Carolina truck stop after the employee tried to fight back with a knife. Authorities tell The Herald of Rock Hill that 22-year-old Malek Salem died from a gunshot wound to the chest after the shooting around 11:50 p.m. Sunday at a gas station near Interstate 77. Police say surveillance video shows the robber pulling a gun and then Salem pick up a knife and put it behind his back. The two struggle for several seconds before a shot is fired. Salem managed to call 911, but died in the emergency room at the hospital.


Reedley Officer Dies From Injuries Sustained In Minkler Shooting

March 1, Fresno, California - Reedley Police have announced the loss of one of their own. Officer Javier Bejar passed away Monday morning, after he was taken off life-support at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. Bejar was in the hospital for injuries suffered in last week's officer involved shooting in the Eastern Fresno County community of Minkler. Bejar, along with two other officers, were shot in the incident. One of those officers, Fresno County Sheriff's Deputy Joel Wahlenmaier, also died from injuries sustained in the shooting. Bejar worked as a Reedley Police Officer since 2005, earning Officer of the Year in 2007.


Jacksonville McDonald's Worker Killed in an Armed Robbery

March 1, Jacksonville, Florida - The four sons of the immigrant killed in an armed robbery last week are on their way to the First Coast to say goodbye to their father. Last Monday, Raynold Orelus was escorting a McDonald's manager with a bag of money from the store to a car in the parking lot of the Baymeadows Road restaurant. The money was for a deposit. Police said Nesta K. Walker was waiting for them with a gun. Orelus intervened and was shot. Walker was arrested a short time later across town.


Construction worker was not murdered

March 1, Albany, Georgia – Albany Police no longer think the 50-year-old man found dead Sunday morning in South Albany was murdered. An autopsy does not determine what killed Vincent Grant. Grant, a Florida native, was in Albany for construction work. He was found dead Sunday morning lying behind a dilapidated house in the 500 block of Cotton Avenue. Grant had a bump on his head, but medical examiners say it did not kill him.


Security Officer Killed in Southland Mall Shooting Identified

February 27, Memphis, Tennessee – Memphis police have identified the security officer, who was fatally shot in a Whitehaven mall. Marques Rainey, 28, was shot and killed by an unknown suspect inside Southland Mall, just before 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. Rainey and a group of men were involved in an altercation inside the mall before the shooting happened. Then, witnesses say one of the men pulled a gun and shot Rainey in the chest. He was taken to the Regional Medical Center in critical condition, where he later died.


Teacher shot, killed in Tacoma; suspect slain

February 26, Tacoma, Seattle - A teacher was shot and killed at Birney Elementary School early Friday by a man who police said was "infatuated with her," and the suspect was later killed in a shootout with police. The suspect was arrested a week ago for violating an order to keep away from the teacher. He made bail Monday. Witnesses said the teacher was shot during a confrontation in the school parking lot at 1202 S. 76th Street about 7:30 a.m., which was before students arrived for the day. The victim's father, who arrived at the school after the shooting, identified her as 30-year-old Jennifer Paulson.


CT worker killed in accident with garbage truck

February 26, Wolcott, Connecticut – A worker was picking up garbage with two other crew members in Wolcott, when he became trapped between a garbage truck and a retaining wall Wednesday morning, February 24, 2010, according to Hartford Courant. Police and medical crews arrived at the scene of the tragic accident. Eric Hassan was rushed in an ambulance to St. Mary’s Hospital where doctors and nurses attempted to save his life, but tragically, his injuries proved fatal. The 24-year-old man’s co-workers said that his last words before passed away were about his kids and his family, reported the Wolcott police chief.