Weekly Toll

Ohio Trucker Killed in Rollover

August 29, COLUMBUS, OH - Deputies have yet to identify the driver who was killed Sunday evening when the rig he was driving overturned and caught fire along Interstate 270. The rig hauling metal rods on a flatbed trailer drove off the right side of the freeway and struck a guardrail. It then overturned and caught fire, investigators said.


Two Die in Homemade Mine

August 29, SHOW LOW, AZ - two men, a 73 year old and his 25 year old son-in-law, lost their lives Sunday due to toxic levels of carbon monoxide in a homemade mine. The mine was on private property, where officials said the 73-year-old man and his 25-year-old son-in-law have been digging a mine for years. Officials told CBS 5 News it was a hobby for the two, and that they used explosives Saturday to continue their project. They also said the older man was a former professional miner.


Young Boy Killed Working on Family Farm

August 28, ETNA GREEN, IN - 13 year old Wyman Miller was accidentally killed Saturday morning at his family farm. Investigating officers determined that Wyman had begun his chores and went to the woods behind the Amish residence to retrieve fourteen of the family horses to be fed. After not returning from his second trip, Wyman's brothers went looking for their brother and found him near a tree severely injured. Investigators believe Wyman was either struck by a horse or pinned into the tree by a horse due to his injuries and location. The family horses are primarily Belgium Draft horses which are very large and used on the farm. He died of blunt force trauma.


Man Killed When Struck by Farm Tractor

August 27, ELTON, LA - 61 year old Gary Wayne Langley died when he was run over by a farm tractor. Witnesses said Langley was showing a coworker some implements he was selling. The tractor started in gear and the tractor rolled over him several times before medical personnel arrived and were able to stop the tractor. Langley was pronounced dead at the scene by Jefferson Davis Parish Coroner Charles Deese.


Police Chief Dies in Wreck

August 27, HAWK POINT, MO - Part time Police Chief Paul Fricke was killed in an automobile accident on State Highway 47 Friday morning. It is believed that Chief Fricke's patrol car went off the right side of the roadway, and that he over-corrected, causing his patrol car to cross the highway and strike a utility pole on the left side of the road. Chief Fricke served as Hawk Point's part-time police chief and also served as a full time deputy with the Warren County Sheriff's Office.


Farmer Apparently Gored by Bull

August 27, CALEDONIA, WI - 52 year old Kip Sullivan was found dead on his farm Friday morning after he was apparently gored by a bull. It's not clear why Sullivan apparently had been in the pen with the bulls. The bull that apparently gored Sullivan was between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds. The medical examiner said Sullivan received significant blunt force trauma.


Farmer Dies in Hay Baler Accident

August 27, TOWNVILLE, SC - 62 year old James "Jimmy" Max Boleman, Jr. died Friday of blunt-force trauma when he was pulled under a hay baler he was trying to repair, according to a coroner’s report. He was a Townville Volunteer Firefighter as well as a farmer.


Worker Dies in Grain Bin Accident

August 27, GENESEO, IL - 49 year old Raymond Nowland was removing wet corn from the perimeter inside the bin when the corn collapsed on him. "In a big grain bin, sometimes with moisture it cakes on the outside, kind of crusted," said Sheriff Gilbert Cady. "That on the outside fell inward toward the center and covered him up. "We suspect asphyxiation, however it's customary in any work-related accident that we do an autopsy," said David Johnson, Henry County Coroner.



Man Injured on Monday Dies From Injuries

August 27, SIOUX FALLS, SD - 31 year old Jason Bauer of Omaha Nebraska, who was injured in a fall at a construction site in South Dakota has died from his injuries. Police say Bauer's safety line was attached to a steal beam that was among several that gave way at a site in Sioux Falls on Monday afternoon. Bauer fell and was taken to a local hospital.


Flight Instructor Killed by Propeller

August 27, WEYMOUTH, MA - 30 year old Michael Costales, a flight instructor, was struck and killed this afternoon by an airplane propeller at Beverly Municipal Airport when the man exited his aircraft to help another pilot, officials said. Costales was waiting to taxi his single-engine aircraft to runway 34 when he noticed a plane ahead of him, carrying a pilot and a student pilot, having trouble with its canopy, and was struck by his own propeller.


FedEx Worker Dies After Being Pinned Between Trucks

August 27, PHOENIX, AZ - 37 year old Frank Schwakopf died after being pinned between two truck trailers in Phoenix Friday morning. According to Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson, Schwakopf was hooking up two FedEx truck trailers in the shipping yard when apparently one of the vehicles shifted. The two trailers jackknifed, pinning the man between the two trailers. Sometime later, a co-worker came out and found Schwakopf. It is not known how long he was trapped.


UT Sheriff's Deputy Killed by Fleeing Suspect

August 26, FREDONIA, AZ - 41 year old Kane County Sheriff Deputy Brian Harris was shot as he was in pursuit of a suspected burglary suspect. According to officials, Harris was on foot in pursuit of the suspect when he opened fire on Harris, killing the deputy with a high-powered rifle. A manhunt is ongoing for the man suspected of killed the deputy.


Scottsdale Repairman Electrocuted

August 26, SCOTTSDALE, AZ - a 44 year old man working in the attic of a rental house near Scottsdale Road and Oak Street died when he came across live wires and was electrocuted, Scottsdale Police Department Sgt. Mark Clark said. No other information is available at this time.


Employee Killed at Duke Energy Training Site

August 26, KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC - the name of an individual who was killed one week after the groundbreaking for Duke Energy’s support facility has not been identified ouT of respect for the family. Shortly before 11:30AM Thursday a man was struck by heavy machinery and killed at the work site. The work site is on Beason Creek Drive in the Cleveland County Business park with KBR’s Building Group in charge of the construction. UPDATE: Authorities have identified the worker killed in the accident as 19 year old Jacob Wayne Reid.


Man Electrocuted While Working

August 26, PHOENIX, AZ - A man who was found unresponsive after being electrocuted at a job site has died. Police said the man was working in the attic when a co-worker went to check on him and found him unconscious. The man was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police have not released the man’s name.


Missing Farmer Found Dead

August 26, ONEIDA, WI - 42 year old Terry A. Hintz was the victim of a grain bin accident. Residents of the farm called the Sheriff’s Department about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday on suspicion the missing man had fallen into the bin. The family began the process of emptying the full bin, which held 50,000 bushels. Work continued into the early morning to empty the grain to a level that would allow for safe recovery of the body.


Employee Killed During Jewelry Store Robbery

August 25, UPPER EAST SIDE, NY - 71 year old Henry Menahem was shot and killed during a daytime robbery on Wednesday. Police say the shooter entered Durant Jewelers at Madison Avenue and East 76th Street shortly after 12 p.m. with two bags and a gun. Menahem was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital where he was pronounced dead.


CA Logger Crushed by Falling Log

August 24, FORTUNA, CA - 36 year old Esmeli Moran died Tuesday morning when a redwood log broke loose from a cable and rolled over him. Moran had set a choker -- a cable wrapped around a log and secured -- on a log when the choker slipped. Moran was standing below when the choker came loose and the log rolled onto him, trapping him, Parris said, adding that Moran was killed on impact.


Colorado Tree Trimmer Dies From Fall

August 25, LITTLETON, CO - A man whose name has not been released was killed in Littleton today when the arm on the articulated boom he was working in snapped and he fell about 30 feet. The man was being lowered in a bucket when "basically the arm on the truck broke and came down and he was thrown out," Littleton Fire Bureau Chief Jay Ruoff said.


Dallas Man Killed by Co-Worker

August 25, MCKINNEY, TX - 57 year old Greg Brasch was shot once in the chest by a female co-worker who was the office manager of Bizzy Bees Pest Control. Police were called to the business in the 2800 block of Trinity Square Drive shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday. They found Theresa Gail Robbins sitting in an office, where she was arrested without incident. When asked why she shot him, Robbins replied, "I was expecting someone else to come in" and that God told her to shoot.


Dairy Farmer Dies in Accident

August 25, BARTELSO, IL - 63 years old James H. "Jim" Varel died Wednesday after a hay bale fell on him. Varel was on a front-loading tractor when the accident occurred, according to Clinton County Coroner Phil Moss. "He was loading a couple of round bales of hay when the one on top, when he was raising it up, ... rolled back on him," Moss said.


Roadway Worker Struck and Killed by Car

August 24, BIRMINGHAM, AL - 43 year old Thomas Lopez Velasquez was killed when he was struck by a car this morning while picking up trash along a roadway. Velasquez was working for a trash collection company when a motorist veered off into the road's shoulder and hit him.


Construction Worker Dies From Fall

August 24, CHICAGO, IL - 64 year old Alfred Von Samek of Skokie died this afternoon after he apparently fell into a hole in a floor at a site on the Magnificent Mile, a Chicago Fire Department spokesman said. The man fell about 15 feet, said Detective Jamie Duignan, a Chicago police spokeswoman.


Trucker Dies in Semi Crash

August 24, COLESVILLE, NY - an unidentified 25 year old man reportedly from Illinois is dead after crashing his tractor trailer into a stone wall. The Broome County Sheriff's Office says the victim was headed westbound, coming off a downhill stretch just before Belden Manor Drive and lost control around a turn. The tractor trailer rolled over and continued sliding on its side, slamming head-on into the overpass. The Sheriff's Office says it appears a combination of unsafe speed and wet, slippery road conditions caused the crash.


Detroit Contract Worker Electrocuted

August 24, DETROIT, MI - Michael Park was killed Tuesday afternoon while repairing an electrical line on the city's west side. According to DTE, Michael Park died after coming in contact with an overhead line at about 1:30 p.m. in the 19000 block of Oakfield. "He was injured while changing out a cross arm on a utility pole," DTE spokeswoman Eileen Dixon said. "We have no details yet on exactly how it happened. Park was a contract employee for DTE working for the Energy Clearance Corporation in Detroit.


Young Tree Trimmer Dies After Electrical Accident

August 24, FAIRFAX CITY, VA - 17 year old Gregory Malsam was fatally injured Tuesday in an electrical accident as he trimmed a tree while helping a neighbor trim his trees. Officials say Malsam was killed in the front yard a house in the 4200 block of Berritt Street. Fairfax City fire officials say Malsam suffered massive internal injuries after coming in contact with a 19,000-volt power line. Gregory was described as an old soul with Tarzan hair, a budding electrician and neighborhood handyman.


Tractor Tractor Crash Kills Driver

August 24, SHERMAN, TX - 30 year old Jesse Dandre Jerry of Arlington died when his truck left the roadway and crashed into Post Oak Creek. Police found Mr. Jerry in the submerged cab. For a reason still under investigation, the rig left the roadway before reaching the Post Oak Creek overpass, careened down the embankment, smashing the tractor's cab with Mr. Jerry still inside. The trailer was not as damaged.


Worker Crushed in Forklift Accident

August 24, KANSAS CITY, MO - 45 year old Leslie Jerome Floyd, a contract worker from Florida, died in an industrial forklift accident Tuesday at the Bannister Federal Complex, the former facility of the National Archives. Floyd, was an employee of Horn Material Handling Service of Mustang, OK. According to police Floyd was moving large metal shelving from inside the archives’ warehouse to the outside dock. A witness saw him leave the warehouse and turn left. The witness said Floyd “must have made too wide a turn,” because the forklift then fell off the 3 ½ foot dock. Floyd tried to jump from the driver’s seat of the forklift as it fell, the witness said, but the forklift landed on top of Floyd, killing him.


Security Guard Killed in Spokane Alley

August 24, SPOKANE, WA - 26 year old George Hayek was fatally shot in an alley after getting involved in a confrontation with a group outside an apartment complex. A police spokeswoman says Hayek was on his rounds in an alley behind the Pepsi Cola building when the confrontation began with a group of people socializing in a common area outside the apartments. Police say Hayek pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the group and one member of the group fired several rounds, hitting Hayek.


Worker Who Died in Scaffolding Collapse Identified

August 23, CHARLESTON, SC - In last week's Weekly Toll it was reported an unknown individual was killed when scaffolding he was working on collapsed. According to a new report, 42 year old Wilfredo Barrios Jaldin was the victim in the accident. Jaldin was one of two workers who were caulking a waterfront condominium complex Monday when the scaffolding and a ladder gave way from Laurens Place about 4:15 p.m. Peter Only, owner of Traditional Surfaces, said he hired the crew as subcontractors to perform the caulking on the upscale complex’s balconies. Only, who wasn’t there at the time the scaffolding gave way, said he’s not sure what happened.


Young Worker Killed In "Freak Accident"

August 23, PATOKA, IL - 23 year old Nicholas Feather was killed Monday at the Patoka Oil Tank Farm when a piece of pipe fell from a track hoe, striking him in the head. Marion County Deputy Coroner Troy Cannon says the pipe was being put in position to be welded when the straps supporting the pipe slipped on one side, causing it to fall some 20 feet on to Feather. The Deputy Coroner says Feather was wearing a hard hat at the time but the force from the pipe broke the suspension of the helmet. Feather worked as a welder for Foltz Welding of Patoka. He was an avid sportsman and a member of the Patoka Fire Department.


Electric Service Worker Electrocuted

August 22, NASHVILLE, TN - David Murphy, a Nashville Electric Service employee, died after being electrocuted Sunday while working on a power line on Stones River Road in Rutherford County. His funeral was held Wednesday. NES is calling Murphy's death an accident, but a spokesperson wouldn't elaborate on how it happened.


Farmer Dies When Bush Hog Falls Onto Him

August 19, ALMYRA, AR - 83 year old Marvin Lynn Jacobs was killed around noon Thursday when the bush hog he was working on fell on his chest and throat, apparently suffocating him. Deputy Robert Rowe said that Jacobs was apparently under the bush hog, taking the blades off, when the prop was knocked loose and the bush hog fell on him, cutting his right shoulder and crushing his throat, cutting off his oxygen.


Police Officer Dies During a Benefit Ride

August 22, EAST GREENBUSH, NY - 42 year old Office Ed Witko was killed in a motorcycle crash Sunday in Petersburgh during a benefit ride. According to New York State Police, Witko somehow lost control of his motorcycle, crossed the center line and crashed head on into an oncoming Toyota Camry on Route 2. Police say Witko had been on a sharp curve on a steep grade at the time.


Victim of Fatal Semi Truck Crash Identified

August 18, BEN LOMOND, AR - 30 year old Jeremy Royal died Wednesday close to Malvern, AR in a truck wreck. His wrecker blew a tire, lost control, and slammed head on into a tractor trailer. He was a driver for Bypass Diesel which has offices in Prescott and Nashville, AR.


Worker Crushed by Equipment Identified

August 13, MIDDLEBURG, FL - Reported as unidentified in last week's Weekly Toll, 42 year old Patrick William Johnson of Middleburg was the victim of an incident who worked for Acme Barricades. Johnson was repairing a crash cushion attached to the rear of a 1991 GMC work truck, according to the Sheriff’s Office incident report. He was underneath when the lift gate dropped, pinning his head to the ground.

Worker Dies From Forklift Accident

August 23, HEATH, OH - 35 year old Jason L. Skiles was killed this morning after being pinned by a forklift he was working on at a warehouse on Columbus' Far East Side. Skiles was working alone at the T. Marzetti Co. warehouse, 6660 Broughton Ave., Columbus police said. Police were called at 11:50 a.m. after another worker discovered Skiles' body, police detective Anne Pennington said.


Employee Killed in Truck Crash

August 23, MIDLAND, TX - Ernie Lee Komyathy died Monday afternoon in a fatal wreck on Interstate 20. Troopers say Komyathy was headed east when the trailer of his MISD truck began to fish tail. He over-corrected and flipped his truck into the median.


Scaffolding Collapse Kills One

August 23, CHARLESTON, NC - Authorities say one worker was killed and another injured after a scaffolding collapsed near the South Carolina Aquarium. Charleston police said that the men were on the scaffolding working on windows at a condominium around 4 p.m. Monday when it gave way. Authorities say one man fell to the concrete below and died. His name has not been released. The other man fell into the Cooper River and was taken to Medical University Hospital. His condition was not known.


Road Construction Worker Hit, Killed by Truck

August 23, RUSHVILLE, IL - 53 year old James Brink of Quincy was killed at a construction site today. Brinks, of Brinks Construction, was walking behind a dump truck when the driver began backing up. Brink was knocked to the pavement and the right rear dual tires ran over him. A county worker was waiting his turn to back his dump truck into position to receive a load from the milling machine. Police say Brink walked behind the dump truck at the moment the driver began to back up.


Cab Driver Killed in Crash

August 23, CHICAGO, IL - 33 year old Muhammad Tahir was killed Monday morning after a collision with a motorcycle. Tahir was on his way to O'Hare with a passenger when he collided with the cycle, police said. The accident caused the cab to veer off the road and run through a light pole and a boat trailer and hit a freestanding garage. The garage and the light pole came crashing down on the vehicle, killing Tahir. The motorcyclist and his bike went skidding across the northbound lane and into a neighbor's yard.


Orchard Worker Killed in Tractor Accident

August 23, YAKIMA, WA - 35 year old Joaquin Ponce was killed Monday morning after a tractor rolled on top of him, that's according to the Yakima Sheriff's Office. Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins said the victim was spraying in the orchards in the 14,000 block of Gilbert Road, west of Wiley City, when the tractor rolled down the embankment, killing him instantly. PLEASE NOTE: This article lists the victim's name as Aaron Corona Ponce.


Worker Dies in Trench Collapse

August 21, RADFORD, VA - 38 year old Rex Matney died when the ditch he was digging caved in. Matney was reportedly trying to find a drainage line for new additions to the Central United Methodist church. Fire officials say during the recovery operation, they found no protective equipment or caging in the hole they say was eight feet deep. OSHA is investigating the accident, but no new details have been released as to how the accident was allowed to happen.


Man Dies in Construction Accident

August 21, CAMBRIDGE, MN - 40 year old Mark Robert Anderson of Ogilvie was atop a lift machine that had its boom fully extended when it tipped over Saturday evening at a construction site west of Cambridge. He fell about 40 feet to the ground, and died later at Cambridge Medical Center.


Farmer Struck and Killed by Car

August 21, LAMONI, IA - 26 year old Enos Yoder, a southern Iowa farmer driving a horse-drawn sickel-mower was killed Saturday when his vehicle was struck by a car. Troopers said a car was southbound on County Road R-18. The driver was distracted by his MP3 player and did not see the farm equipment vehicle, which also was southbound. Yoder's vehicle was struck from behind, causing major damage to both vehicles. One of the two horses was also injured.


Worker Electrocuted Dies of Injuries

August 21, GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 45 year old Patrick Underhill of Sand Lake died Saturday in a Grand Rapids hospital after being shocked on the job last Tuesday. According to witnesses, Underhill was working on the back of a truck at High Grade Materials in Sand Lake around 11 o'clock Tuesday morning when the lift on the truck came in contact with power lines. Co-worker Ken Meksula explained Underhill was lubricating a gear while the truck was running. Another worker was apparently moving the lift by remote. Underhill was thrown to the ground and that's where co-workers found him.


Brooklyn Store Clerk Dies a Hero

August 21, BROOKLYN, NY - He grappled with a gun-wielding thug to save his girlfriend and paid with his life. 34 year old Yoseph Robinson made a valiant attempt to fend off a gunman trying to steal cash and jewels from his girlfriend. After the masked robber strode into MB Vineyards in Midwood and trained his pistol on Lahavah Wallace, Robinson lunged over the counter to grab the weapon. A struggle ensued and Robinson was shot and killed. Wallace and Yoseph's cousin ran and hid in a backroom and were unharmed.


Lincoln City Employee Dies in Mower Accident

August 20, LINCOLN, NE - 37 year old Eric Kohles died Friday morning from injuries suffered when a three-wheeled riding lawn mower tipped over and pinned him on Monday afternoon. Two workers found Kohles trapped beneath a 1,200-pound mower near 56th and Seward streets, where he was mowing a drainage easement. The mower had shut off when it tipped.


PG&E Employee Found Dead

August 20, SONORA, CA - an unidentified electrician was found dead near downed power lines off North Tuolumne Road, where a fire was earlier reported, according to Sheriff's Office officials. The incident, near the Black Oak Casino parking lot, was reported about noon. The victim was found near a lift truck used to work on power lines. UPDATE: Authorities have identified this worker as 57 year old Gerald Biedinger.


Deadly Forklift Accident in Arkansas

August 20, SPRINGDALE, AR - 58 year old Michael David Lewis was killed in a construction accident Friday afternoon. Lewis was driving a three-wheel forklift along a hill attempting to move cinderblocks when the forklift rolled over. Police say he was by himself at the time of the accident and they aren't sure how much time passed before someone was able to call paramedics. Lewis worked for Stock Building Supply in Springdale.


Security Officer Found Dead

August 20, MIAMI-DADE, FL - 61 year old Gerardo Leal was found shot by a homeless man at the Colonial Shopping Plaza, 9590 SW 160th St., where Leal worked as a security guard. No other information is available and the police are asking for help from anyone with information on the shooting.


Bulldozer Operator Dies at Quarry

August 19, WEBSTER COUNTY, IA - 65 year old Robert Opher of Waukon died at the controls of a bulldozer which then drove into a pond in the quarry Thursday afternoon. A co-worker pulled him out of the water. Opfer was pronounced dead at the scene. Opfer was employed by Reilly Construction, a subcontractor that worked in the CertainTeed Corp. gypsum quarry at 2109 Quail Ave.


Logger Crushed by Redwood Log

August 19, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, CA - 32 year old Karl Grant Olson of Kooskia, ID was killed Thursday when a redwood log fell from a stack and crushed him, the Humboldt County coroner reported. Olson was cutting a log on a stack at about 9 a.m. when another log tumbled from the pile and crushed him against another log, killing him immediately, Coroner Dave Parris said. Another logger working in the area came to check on Olson when he heard his chainsaw idling for an unusually long time, Parris said, and found Olson's body, pinned by the 18-inch diameter, 40-foot-long log.


Contract Worker Electrocuted Working on Pool

August 19, PALM DESERT, CA - 27 year old Luis Miguel Jilote-Lopez was electrocuted while working in a swimming pool at a Palm Desert Country Club Thursday. Jilote-Lopez was standing on the steps of the pool when an extension cord came in contact with a metal handrail, electrocuting him, said Deputy Herlinda Valenzuela of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.


Engineer Electrocuted Making Repairs on Transmitter

August 19, OXFORD, MS - It is unclear how 73 year old Jerold Campbell was electrocuted while working on a WDMS/Greenville station transmitter. Station GM Steve Shelton says the transmitter failed about 5AM Thursday and Campbell, a contractor, was called in to make repairs.


Truck Driver Dies in Wreck

August 19, BELTON, SC - 53 year old John Robert Weaver died when his tractor trailer hit guard rails causing the trailer to flip over an embankment and burst into flames on the Newport Highway (U.S. 321) near Bright Hope Road.


Worker Dies From Fall Off Forklift

August 19, SPRINGFIELD, MA - 24 year old Richard Tyson, a worker at a Yankee Candle Co. warehouse in Deerfield, has died after falling from a forklift. Authorities said he fell about 30 feet from the forklift and suffered serious trauma.


Maintenance Worker Dies From Fall

August 19, YOUNGSTOWN, OH - David P. Phibbs, a maintenance worker at the University Courtyard Apartments at YSU, died Thursday after an accident at the apartments. YSU police report that Phibbs fell from a ladder while working on a security light on the east side of the apartment building. The Mahoning County Coroner’s Office is investigating. Phibbs was employed by Ambling Companies Inc., which manages the apartment complex.


Man Electrocuted Working at Feed Mill

August 19, LAUREL, NE - 28 year old Nicholas Waterbury died Thursday after being electrocuted at a feed mill. The Cedar County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that Waterbury was working in a pit at a feed mill on a farm north of Coleridge when he was electrocuted.


Worker Killed by Overturned Backhoe

August 19, HAVELOCK, NC - 39 year old Donald Collins of North Harlow has died after the backhoe he was operating overturned. Co-workers told police Collins was using the backhoe to clear soil around the Budget Inn on North Nunn Street when it appears the rear wheel slid down a slight incline. The backhoe turned over, throwing Collins out and trapped him beneath the equipment.


Central Texas Police Officer Killed in Cycle Crash

August 18, CEDAR PARK, TX - 41 year old Officer Leonard Reed, training for motorcycle service has died of injuries incurred when the motorcycle on which he was training crashed. A Cedar Park police spokesman says details of the crash are still sketchy, but he says a motorcycle officer traveling with Reed tried to revive the officer until emergency medical technicians could arrive.


Tire Store Employee Dies When Tire Explodes

August 18, BRONTE, TX - 28 year old Jesse Rosson was killed Wednesday while inflating a tire. Rosson was putting air in a tire Wednesday when it exploded at about 2:45 p.m., possibly as a result of being overinflated. The tire separated from the rim, which struck Rosson in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.


Plant Worker Dies in Fall From Scaffolding

August 18, ALBUQUERQUE, NM - A man working at the General Mills cereal plant in Albuquerque died Wednesday morning after falling 30 feet from a scaffold. The man in his 50s was in full cardiac arrest when medics arrived at the plant near Paseo del Norte and Jefferson NE, a spokesperson for the Albuquerque Fire Department told KRQE News 13. It is not yet clear if the man might have suffered a medical episode before the fall, she said.


Longtime Vacaville Farmer Killed in Tractor Accident

August 18, VACAVILLE, CA - 85 year old Marion "Buck" Burton died in a tragic farming accident Wednesday. Family members suspect that Burton, who had to walk with the help of a cane, had tried to start the tractor while off the seat. He likely used his hand to push in the clutch of the tractor, which needed to be started in gear, and then leaned across the tractor to engage the power takeoff shaft. It is believed that his hand slipped off the clutch, causing the tractor and sprayer to lurch forward and on top of Burton, crushing him.


Sewer Plant Worker Dies When Mower Overturns

August 18, BOLIVAR, PA - 64 year old Joseph J. Sisitki died Wednesday afternoon after he lost control of his riding lawn mower and drove into a settling pond in West Wheatfield, Indiana County, said county Coroner Michael Baker. Sisitki was found partially submerged shortly before 4:30 p.m. by his daughter, who went looking for him at the Tri-Community Sewer Authority wastewater treatment plant with one of his co-workers when he didn't return from work.


Farmer Killed When Tractor Overturns

August 18, OSWEGO, NY - 58 year old Danny Dunsmoor was killed Wednesday afternoon when the tractor he was operating overturned, according to State Police. State Police Dunsmoor had set out in a tractor around 3:15 p.m. to mow along a ditch on his family farm. Between that time and 5:30, when his body was found, the tractor rolled over. Dunsmoor was pinned underneath the tractor and killed.


Medical Condition Causes Death of Semi Driver

August 17, CRESTON, OH - 61 year old George Ritter of Creston died after his rig went through a fence at Bowling Green State University's new Stroh Center, authorities said. Police say they believe the crash resulted from Mr. Ritter's medical condition, although the exact cause of the wreck and the driver's death were pending an investigation by the Wood County Coroner's Office, according to Lt. Bradley Biller of Bowling Green police.


Farmer Killed While Removing Tree

August 17, BYRON, IL - an unidentified farmer died Tuesday of injuries suffered when his throat was cut in a freak farming accident. Investigators said the man was cutting up a large felled oak tree and was using a small farm tractor equipped with a dump bucket to move large branches. While pushing one of the limbs with the tractor, the limb is believed to have snapped back, striking and cutting the man’s neck and knocking him off the tractor. The tractor traveled a few feet forward and stopped.


Florida Rancher Dies of Heart Attack

August 17, MYAKKA CITY, FL - Doug Schembri died from a heart attack while attempting to fix a water pump on the Char-O-Lot Ranch. Although the initial belief was that Schembri died of electrocution, it was later determined that he suffered a heart attack before falling into a nearby pond.


Trucker dies when his vehicle overturns in Sussex County

August 16, RICHMOND, VA - 55 year old David Quarles of Richmond died early Monday morning when his tractor, which was not pulling a trailer at the time, went off of a Sussex County roadway and overturned. He was wearing a seat belt, and state police spokeswoman Sgt. Michelle Anaya said alcohol was not a factor in the accident.


Road Construction Worker Dies

August 16, TULSA, OK - 45 year old Noe Mendoza was killed while working in a construction area on the Gilcrease Expressway Extension near Osage Drive Monday morning. The initial report to police is that a road scraper lost power, causing it to roll downhill out of control with no ability by the driver to stop. Mendoza was on foot and was apparently not aware that it was approaching and crossed into its path, police say. He was struck and killed at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.


Semi Driver Killed in North Platte Accident

August 16, NORTH PLATTE, NE - 44 year old Donald Toof of Chadron died when his fuel tanker overturned just north of the North Platte River Bridge on Highway 83. Mr. Toof was driving a semi fuel tanker truck northbound when it struck the east bridge rail causing the driver to lose control and roll over in the east ditch just north of the bridge. The accident investigation is continuing, but it appears that once the semi tractor struck the bridge rail, the front axle broke loose and the driver could not control the tractor and load. It appears that the driver was wearing his seatbelt.


Industrial Accident Claims Life

August 16, PARIS, WI - 36 year old Christopher J. Mortensen of McHenry, IL suffered fatal crushing injuries while cleaning his vehicle at a Kenosha County company. Sheriff's deputies say Mortensen was in the yard at Super Mix of Wisconsin Monday, washing out the truck when he got caught between the rotating drum and loading hopper. He died at the scene.


Young Roofer Electrocuted

August 16, GRAND ISLAND, NE - 19 year old Emilio DeLeon was electrocuted after coming in contact with power lines while working as a roofer. DeLeon was in the bucket of a crane, working behind a Grand Island business, when the lines were touched. Hughes says the accident shorted out the crane controls, and the bucket was still in the air near the wires when emergency personnel arrived.


UPS Driver Dies in One Vehicle Wreck

August 16, MONROE, LA - 41 year old James Harris died from injuries sustained in a single vehicle crash in Caldwell Parish, according to state police. The investigation revealed that a 2006 Freightliner “UPS” delivery van was northbound on Louisiana 846 approaching a left hand curve when it ran off the right side of the road. Harris over-corrected to the left and the vehicle began to slide sideways across both travel lanes before leaving the left side of the roadway, a report from state police said. The vehicle then over-turned before coming to rest.


Gas Tanker Driver Dies in Fiery Crash

August 16, CHARLOTTE, NC - 35 year old Joshua Woodrow, a tanker driver for MTM Transportation, died when his truck hit another car shoving it across the interstate and scraping it along the median wall. Once the truck and car stopped moving, the truck exploded, catching everything around it on fire. The people in the car suffered minor injuries.


Tractor Trailer Driver Killed

August 16, ST. LOUIS, MO - 48 year old Thomas Joseph Niemeyer of Bethalto died when the truck he was driving began to drift into other lanes. His rig hit the concrete median at I-64 and Taylor and police say Niemeyer was thrown from the truck into the west bound lanes. His truck was split open and food products were strewn in the East and West bound lanes.


Gunman Kills Store Owner

August 15, GARY, IN - 41 year old Kevin Champion died after he was shot at point-blank range about 2:45 a.m. Sunday at his family's business, Champ's Liquors in Gary. A video released Wednesday shows a young man walk up to the driver's side of Champion's SUV and reach inside with a gun. The gunman runs from the truck, returns and looks inside, then runs away again. Champion had just locked up the business to leave for the night.


Security Guard Shot Making Rounds

August 14, FLINT, MI - 53 year old John Andrew "Andy" Mick of Goodrich who worked for Lagarda Security was shot and killed while making his usual rounds at River Village Apartment on Saturday. Police are investigating the possibility of two men being involved.


Gas Station Employee Murdered

August 14, KENNER, LA - Jose Caballero was shot and killed when he got to the Shell Gas Station where he worked. Caballero was shot somewhere in the parking lot and then ran toward the store door, where he collapsed. Kenner police responded. Caballero was rushed to the hospital where he died. Police say they don't know the motive, and are looking at security video. Caballero's friend Rey Pena says Caballero was from La Lima, Honduras who came to the U.S. to live out his dream of providing for his three young children who are still in Honduras.


Roofer Dies From Fall

August 11, GRIFFIN, GA - OSHA is investigating the death of Lonnie Griffin who fell from the roof of Star Salon in Griffin. According to Terry Killingsworth, who owns the building where Star Salon is located, the primary contractor for the roofing job was Rusty Statham Construction. Statham hired two subcontractors, Kenny Goins and Alan Blackmon, who in turn hired Wright. No other information regarding this accident is available.

Semi Driver Dies in Fiery Crash

August 19, WACO, TX - 56 year old Bobby Wayne Morris of Groesbeck, died when his 18-wheeler, headed toward Waco, hit a guardrail and exploded on Highway 6, about a mile south of Loop 340 at Tehuacana Creek. The truck ended up overturned in a ditch and flames spread to a nearby wooded area. Groesbeck, was thrown clear of the truck, but died at the scene, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.


North Carolina Trucker Dies in Wreck

August 15, SALISBURY, NC - 30 year old Max Jerome Anderson of Salisbury was killed early Sunday morning when his rig overturned and crashed on Interstate 40 west of Marion, authorities said. Anderson was headed west near mile marker 77 shortly before 3:30 a.m. when the tractor-trailer ran off the roadway to the left, collided with a guardrail and came to rest on its side, said Sgt. Kevin Owens of the N.C. Highway Patrol.


Construction Worker Dies as Result of Attack by Co-Worker

August 15, WHITEHALL, OH - 47 year old Scott L. Fairclough died today from injuries suffered when he fell after being struck by a co-worker at a construction site on Friday. Homicide Squad Detective Dana Croom said Fairclough and another worker got into a fight that was broken up by co-workers. But minutes later, the co-worker punched Fairclough in the face. Fairclough lost his balance, fell off a set of four porch steps and struck his head on the cement, Columbus police said. Croom said he will seek involuntary manslaughter charges against the co-worker.


Man Dies Falling From Catwalk

August 14, DETROIT LAKES, MN - 58 year old Kenneth Ray Benton of Magee, MS was pronounced dead at the scene after falling from a catwalk at a demolition site three miles north of Detroit Lakes on Saturday. Deputies found Benton's body at a former asphalt plant that was being disassembled. According to a press release, the victim “had apparently … fallen from a catwalk of a substantial height.”


Store Owner Robbed, Stabbed to Death

August 14, BELLMEAD, TX - Najmal Haq, the owner of the New Quick Food Mart at 1902 Old Dallas Highway, was stabbed repeatedly during a robbery just after noon on Aug. 14 and later died at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center. Two men and a juvenile have been charged with Capitol Murder.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash

August 14, JACKSONVILLE, FL - 52 year old Walter Eugene Dixon died early Saturday when his truck burst into flames after hitting trees alongside Interstate 95 near St. Augustine, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The truck hit a wet ditch, then collided with the treeline. The trailer jackknifed and caught fire, troopers said.


Worker Dies Trying to Trim Tree

August 14, CLIMAX, NC - 44 year old Timothy Wayne Killian died Saturday afternoon while doing tree removal services. A witness at the scene tells WFMY News 2 Killian was struck in the head by one of the large limbs and was found hanging from the tree. Emergency responders were called to the scene to rescue Killian from the tree, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.


Power Line Worker Dies of Injuries

August 14, ATLANTA, GA - 25 year old Kylan Warren has died of injuries he suffered July 15, 2010. Warren, a Georgia Power lineman, suffered severe burns on the job. Hundreds turned out on Saturday for a charity motorcycle ride for Warren but he died of his injuries just hours before the ride was to begin.


Manager Struck and Killed Outside Store

August 13, HOUSTON, TX - an unidentified manager of a Chevron Station was struck and killed by a get away vehicle after confronting a shoplifting suspect in the store. According to investigators, the manager and suspect exchanged words and a fight broke out which spilled over into the store's parking lot. That's where a second suspect waiting outside in a vehicle accelerated and struck the manager, say police.


Farmer Dies as Result of Tractor Accident

August 13, BYRON, WI - 59 year old Lee Batterman has died as a result of a head injury he suffered in a tractor accident this week. Authorities say Batterman was on his farm Thursday afternoon when he was hit by a tractor. Batterman suffered serious head injuries but was conscious when emergency responders arrived.


Worker Dies in Forklift Explosion

August 13, DICKSON, TN - Bruce Mitchell was killed in a forklift explosion Friday at the Quad/Graphics plant. Dispatchers reported a fire inside the building, and Mitchell was found to have been burned on at least 98 percent of his body. The blaze was quickly put out. Authorities said they believe the fire was started by something electrical in nature, and not a propane tank, as was previously believed. UPDATE: New information regarding this accident shows Mr. Mitchell exhibited heroic behavior before the fire that took his life.


Man Dies in Logging Accident

August 13, CHEHALIS, WA - 47 year old Michael R. Messner of Longview died while operating a logging processor west of Chehalis Thursday when a chain broke and rammed through the windshield of the processor’s cab, striking him in the throat. Messner was working for C&C Logging on Weyerhaeuser Co. land.


Construction Worker Electrocuted

August 13, LEXINGTON, KY - 46 year old Michael Gribbins of Clearfield, an electrician working at the Morehead unemployment office, which is being renovated after flooding damaged the building, was electrocuted Friday afternoon. Officials say Gribbins was working in the attic of the building, located on Bradly Avenue. So far, officials have not determined the circumstances of how Gribbons was electrocuted.


EMT Dies of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

August 13, WHITE OAK, TX - 33 year old Casey Steenland, an EMT in training,died and two co-workers were hospitalized Friday after being overcome by carbon monoxide while on duty in this small East Texas town. Victoria Ashworth, a spokeswoman at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview told The Associated Press that the carbon monoxide apparently was from a generator left running on an ambulance.


Two NV Miners Die in Shaft Accident

August 12, RENO, NV - 47 year old Daniel Noel and 38 year old Ethan Schorr, both of Spring Creek, died after a vertical pipe broke from a wall and struck a cage lowering the men into the ventilation shaft early Thursday. The men worked for Barrick Gold of North America in the Meikle mine shaft near Elko.


Laundry Worker Killed During Robbery

August 12, PHILIDELPHIA, PA - 53 year old Huan Mo, working at her family's North Philadelphia coin laundry, was stabbed to death during a robbery in which the thieves made off with only $200. Captain James Clark said Mo apparently put up a "fierce struggle" against her attacker, who was armed with either a knife or a screwdriver.


Industrial Accident Kills Worker

August 12, HUTCHINSON, KS - 30 year old Ron Klinkerman was killed in an accident at the Superior Boiler Works plant Thursday night when a heavy metal boiler door fell on him. Police say Klinkerman was working alone at the time of the accident. When another employee found him, they used a forklift to lift the metal off of his body, but were unable to save him.


University of Idaho Worker Killed by Lightning

August 12, SALMON, ID - 37 year old Michael Haslett of Salmon, a University of Idaho ranch employee, was struck and killed by lightning during a strong thunderstorm in east central Idaho. Sheriff Lynn Bowerman says Haslett was riding a horse and herding cattle at the university’s Hot Springs Ranch at about 4 p.m. Tuesday when he was struck and killed. The horse also died.


Worker Killed by Delivery Van

August 12, SOUTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP, PA - 70 year old Donna Iannicello of Bethel Park, an employee for 27 years at the Country Meadows assisted living facility, was killed when she was hit by a delivery van in the parking lot of the facility.


AZ Cab Driver Murdered

August 12, PHOENIX, AZ - 57 year old Jose Jesus Lopez-Guzman was shot and killed inside his taxi in central Phoenix Thursday morning. When officers arrived at the scene they found the driver of a Sol cab had been shot and killed. He was in the front seat and his money bag was in his lap. Police say the money bag was open leading them to believe robbery was the motive for the shooting.


Worker Killed in OK Construction Accident

August 11, CLYDE, KS - 21 year old Shane Hoesli of Clyde died Wednesday from injuries he suffered when a half-ton steel plate fell on him at a construction site in Oklahoma. Clyde, who worked as a welder for Gerard Tank & Steel of Concordia, was helping to construct a new water tower in Pryor, Okla., when the accident occurred early Tuesday morning, said former classmate and co-worker Ryan Biery.


Equipment Accident Causes Farmer's Death

August 11, CHARLESTON, IL - 50 year old David Pearcy died Wednesday after being pinned between two pieces of equipment. Pearcy was pronounced dead at his farm near Fairgrange. Deputy Coroner Gene Wright says Pearcy was working on a piece of equipment in a machine shed when he became pinned between it and another piece of equipment.


Railroad Crossing Accident Claims Life

August 11, SILVER LAKE, KS - 59 year old Donald Akin of Silver Lake was killed when he tried to cross the railroad tracks and was hit by the eastbound train. The wreck caused the dump truck to roll on its side. Akin suffered serious head injuries in the wreck and was pronounced dead at a Topeka hospital Wednesday afternoon.


Feds Reviewing Death of Man at AL Work Site

August 10, TALLADEGA, AL - A 31 year old construction worker died while working at a city recreation center that's being renovated. Police Capt. Ronny Jones says parts of a metal roof gave way, and a contract worker fell about 35 feet into an empty swimming pool below. His name hasn't been released, but authorities say he had an address in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover. UPDATE: Authorities have identified the victim as 31 year old Jorge Antonio Gonzales Comunidad of Hoover.


Police Officer Dies in Crash

August 10, COWDEN, IL - 34 year old Jeremy Hubbard of Watson died Tuesday night after losing control of his vehicle while pursuing a suspect who had stolen fuel several counties away in Staunton. Authorities say Hubbard was a part-time officer assisting Altamont police in chasing a pickup truck without license plates when his Chevrolet Impala police car left the road and flipped several times into a cornfield, ejecting Hubbard.


Man Killed Trying to Beat Train

August 10, WHITEWATER, KS - 80 year old Herbert Entz of Whitewater was killed at Tuesday when a train collided with his semi-truck at Kansas Highway 196 at Whitewater. Witnesses told law enforcement, they saw the truck go around the crossing arms, which where down and flashing at the time of the crash, said Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton. The semi, which was carrying corn, was crushed and spilled corn and diesel fuel onto the highway.


Semi Truck Driver Dies in Fiery Crash

August 10, PORTAGE, MI - 58 year old Steven Snitker of Martelle is dead after a crash early Tuesday morning along a stretch of interstate in southwestern Michigan. Portage Police say Snitker was killed when the truck he was driving left the interstate, hit a cement barrier and burst into flames.


Man Killed at Construction Site

August 10, PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL - 43 year old Robert Shawn Ellison was shot and his body found in the construction office of First Baptist Church of Panama City Beach, where he and his crews had been doing work since February, Panama City Beach Police Chief Robert Harding said. A work dispute might have led to the slaying. An investigation continues.


Worker Electrocuted in Page County

August 10, SHENANDOAH, PA - 24 year old Mark Appleby has died after being electrocuted in Page County, VA. The Page County Sheriff's Office says he was in a bucket truck working on telephone lines. Deputies say he came into contact with a power line.


Worker Killed in Construction Accident

August 10, HARTFORD, CT - 40 year old Scott Graves of Cromwell was crushed by a drilling machine he was operating in the rear of Carrington School on Kenmore Avenue, police said. He was drilling test borings when the machine rolled over on top of him, killing him instantly, police said.


Worker Crushed by Equipment

August 10, JACKSONVILLE, FL - A worker at a Jacksonville company was reportedly killed when a piece of equipment crushed him. A co-worker at Acme Barricades said the device was a barrier attached to the rear of a truck. Police say the worker was underneath the truck when the barrier flipped into the open position and crushed the man. Police believe the equipment malfunctioned.


Coach Killed in Cal Baptist Team Van Accident

August 9, CORONA, CA - Wendy Rice, a CA Baptist University Cheerleading Coach was killed while driving one of three vans carrying CBU student athletes to a high altitude training camp in Mammoth. She died when the van was struck by an oncoming SUV that apparently ran out of control, overturned and burst into flames on impact."


Missouri Worker is Electrocuted

August 9, CALLOWAY COUNTY, MO - Mark Thomas was electrocuted while on the job Monday. The Callaway County Sheriff's Department said Mark Thomas was clearing lines for Rural Electric Cooperative when he was electrocuted. He worked for Hentges Tree Service.


Dump Truck Driver Killed in Crash

August 9, BROWNSVILLE, MN - 56 year old Paul H. Fjerstad of Kasson was killed after he swerved off of Highway 56, crashing into a parked car and then into an insurance office Monday afternoon in Brownsdale, Minn. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Fjerstad may have had a medical problem before losing control of the dump truck.


Truck Driver Dies in Fiery Crash

August 9, CLEVELAND, OH - The driver of a box truck died near McKinley Avenue on Interstate 90 Thursday morning in a fiery crash. The truck ran into a pole about 9:15 a.m. and caught fire. Officials do not know what the truck was carrying, but witnesses said the cargo looked like air conditioning units or other mechanical material.


Construction Accident Claims a Life

August 9, LAUREL, MD - a 34 year old Morgan Tyler Gainer was killed when he was working at a residential construction site at the intersection of Palace Hall Drive and Skylark Boulevard when he was struck in the head by an excavator. Gainer was working for the W.F. Wilson & Sons Inc., based in Elkridge, Md.


Store Clerk Killed During Robbery

August 9, GLEN BURNIE, MD - 48 year old Youssef Kamal Erian Attia was shot and killed early Monday morning during a robbery. Officers found Attia dead inside the 7-Eleven at about 3:35 a.m. when they were called for a report of an injured person. Attia, a clerk, attempted to flee from three male suspects who had entered the store and announced a robbery. He was found suffering from gunshot wounds to the torso and pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.


Tire Store Employee Shot,Killed

August 9, MONUMENT, CO - a 50 year old man was shot and killed after an altercation at a Big-O Tire Store in Monument. El Paso County Sheriff's Spokesman Sevene says three people got into a verbal altercation inside the store. The fight then moved outside into the parking and within minutes gunshots rang out. UPDATE: Authorities have identified the victim as 50 year old Bradley Blehm.


Septic Tank Driver Killed in Wreck

August 9, NACOGDOCHES, TX - 34 year old Sidney James Woodall has died following a one-vehicle wreck on State Highway 21 East, just west of Melrose. According to DPS Trooper John Henley, Woodall was driving a septic tank truck west around 1:55 p.m., when he had a blowout on his front left tire. The blowout forced him off the road and into a ditch before he struck a tree. Henley said he died on impact.


Deputy Dewey Dies After Being Shot in February

August 9, MAHNOMEN, MN - Mahnomen county sheriff's deputy Chris Dewey has died. He had been in hospice care since last month. Dewey died of complications from the gunshot wounds he received a year-and-a-half ago while answering a call in Mahnomen. Last month, Dewey's wife Emily disclosed that he wasn't expected to live. Prosecutors may change the charges against the man accused in the shooting, in light of Dewey's death.


Rural Mail Carrier Dies in Accident

August 9, MONTGOMERY, TX - 28 year old Jennifer Proveaux of Spring, died Monday afternoon after her vehicle was broadsided on FM 149 as she neared the end of her route. Proveaux was attempting to make a left turn when her vehicle was hit by another driver. The hit sent her vehicle into a roll and she was ejected.


Worker Crushed in Conveyor Belt System

August 9, SUPERIOR, WI - 61 year old Denton Heske of Michigan died after being crushed in a conveyor belt system on an ore boat on Lake Superior. The accident happened last night on board the Stewart J. Cort, a thousand foot ore boat, about 10 miles northwest of Devil's Island in Lake Superior. Heske along with two other workers were doing repairs in the ship when Heske was caught in the conveyor belt system and crushed between the belt and a roller.


Two Truck Drivers Killed in Fiery Crash

August 9, HIGHLAND, IL - 52 year old Jerald D. Jaynes of Seymour, IN and 23 year old William T. Burleson of Greensburg, IN were killed in a multiple-vehicle crash on Interstate 70 in Madison County Monday morning. The Illinois State Police said Jaynes was driving a tractor-trailer that slammed into a line of traffic that had stopped in the right lane of westbound I-70 because of an earlier crash. The rig caught fire, trapping both men inside.


Utility Worker Electrocuted Trying to Restore Power

August 8, WINTER, WI - Glenn Charles Parker of Radisson came in contact with a live wire and was electrocuted Sunday. Utility spokesman Dave Dahlberg says Parker was trying to pull up wires that were knocked down by strong storms near Winter in Sawyer County.


Crop Duster Pilot Dies in Crash

August 8, LINDSEY, NE - a 41 year old crop dusting pilot, believed to be from Wichita Falls, TX, died when his plane crashed southeast of Lindsay. The crash cause is still under investigation by the sheriff's office and federal authorities. UPDATE: Authorities have identified to pilot as 41 year old Alan East of Wichita Falls.


Farmer Dies in Tractor Accident

August 7, CORBIN, KY - 40 year old John L. White died Saturday in what appears to be a bush hogging accident. White was found about 5 p.m. pinned beneath a tractor in a field in which he held livestock. The tractor had apparently fallen some 10- to 15-feet down an embankment on the farm.


Skydiving Instructor Dies in Plane Crash

August 6, BUFFALO, NY - 53 year old Thomas "Toma" Medbury of Akron, OH, died Friday after suffering head, neck and spine injuries when the six-seat Frontier Skydivers plane went down after taking off Aug. 1 from the club's Niagara County airfield about 35 miles north of Buffalo. An initial Federal Aviation Administration investigation found that a door that opened on takeoff may have contributed to the accident.

Firefighter Dies Battling Blaze

August 9, CHICAGO, IL - 31 year old Christopher Wheatly was killed this morning after falling three or four stories from a fire escape ladder in the West Loop. Wheatly and other fire crews were fighting a grease fire in a restaurant in the 600 block of West Randolph.


Man Killed in Forklift Accident

August 9, EVANSVILLE, IN - 49 year old John Fugate died today when a forklift apparently overturned. Production at the Bootz Industries Maryland Street plant has been suspended for the day while authorities investigate the early morning accident that killed Fugate, a long-time employee.


Oil Truck Driver Dies From Injuries

August 6, MIDLAND, TX - Nicholas Montoya died as a result of an accident on Friday. Police say the Basic Energy truck blew a tire on the Interstate, near the Midkiff exit. That sent the truck swerving off the road, across the median, into traffic and then the service road, before flipping over in the field.


Driver Killed in Tractor Trailer Accident

August 6, CATAWBA CO., NC - 46 year old Harley James Stanley of Longdale died after an early morning accident on Highway 321. After calling for another truck when his broke down he and the other driver switched trailers, but when they tried to pull away, the cab came apart. Stanley was struck by another tractor trailer while trying to reattach the trailer to his cab. The driver of that truck said he didn't see Stanley because of the fog.


Tow Truck Driver Hit, Killed by Drunk Driver

August 6, HOUSTON, TX - Rogelio Flores was killed Friday by a drunk driver. Flores was headed to tow a car, which was driven by a suspected drunken driver. On the way there, a car cut off Flores causing him to veer off the road and into two utility poles. Police have charged the suspect who caused the accident with intoxication manslaughter.


Police Officer Killed by Suspect

August 6, RAYMOND, MS - 31 year old Glenn Agee, an Officer with the Jackson Police Department, was killed when a suspect under arrest managed to escape. It's believed Officer Agee caught up with the suspect before he entered the woods, and an altercation ensued next to a canal. At that time, police believe Officer Agee's service weapon discharged.


Construction Worker Killed in Montana

August 6, HELENA, MT - 29 year old Jonathan Hudson of Laurel was killed when a belly dump truck backed over him in an Interstate 90 construction zone near Anaconda. The patrol says the worker was standing behind the truck at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday when the driver backed over him, not realizing he was there.


Wreck Between Two Semi's Causes One Death

August 6, PORTAGE, WI - A 32-year-old Eau Claire man was killed after the fiery collision involving two tractor-trailers. One driver apparently slowed down nearing the construction zone and the truck behind couldn't slow down in time.


'Experienced’ skydiving instructor dies in Molalla accident

August 6, MOLALLA, WA - 36 year old Paul Matthew Hardin of Casa Grande, AZ died Friday afternoon when he hit the ground while performing a high-performance maneuver at the Skydive Oregon parachuting facility in Molalla. Hardin, described as a experienced skydiving instructor fell to his death at the facility on Highway 211.


Worker Dies in Propane Mishap

August 6, WAYNESVILLE, NC - 52 year old Richard Davis died Friday after a 500-gallon gas tank rolled on top of him. Davis was preparing to fill a large propane gas tank when, for an unknown reason, the tank broke away from the embankment, toppled down the hill and landed on Davis’ chest.


Construction Worker by Heavy Equipment

August 5, AVON, CO - 58 year old Jack Muransky of Fort Collins was killed Thursday around noon when a large drill pinned him within a construction hole in Avon. Avon Police Chief Bob Ticer said the Muransky was down in a construction hole with a couple of other workers using a very large drill. “For whatever reason, one of the pieces of equipment pushed up against him, causing fatal injuries,” Ticer said.


Driver Killed When Truck Slams Into Semi

August 5, SAN MARCOS, TX - 33 year old Anthony Jerod Kelly, hauling nitrogen and carbon dioxide cylinders was killed Wednesday on Interstate 35 in Hill County when he slammed into a parked 18-wheeler, unleashing toxic gases and shutting down the highway for three hours. Kelly of San Marcos was northbound near Chatt Road when he veered onto the shoulder and careened into the semi.


Volunteer Firefighter Dies of Apparent Heart Attack

August 6, LUFKIN, TX - 59 year old Donald Thornton, Chief of Central Valley Volunteer Fire Department, died of an apparent heart attack Thursday morning. Thornton was working with a friend off state Highway 103 at the time of his death Thursday, according to Assistant Chief Dennis Cochran. Thornton bent down to work on some equipment and then slumped over around 9:30 a.m., Cochran said.


Two Killed When Strong Winds Knock Down Barn

August 5, CROTON, OH - 25 year old Kevin Maddox and 33 year old Joseph Dixon were killed when 70 mph winds knocked over three barns being renovated Wednesday at the state's largest egg farm. It is believed the two workers were employed by Creative Masonry. The two construction workers who were laying concrete blocks at Ohio Fresh Eggs were killed in one of the barns, said Bill Schwaderer, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Three other workers escaped with minor injuries.


Worker Killed at Water Treatment Plant

August 4, BROOKVILLE, PA - 23 year old Cody Fyock, a construction worker for Jack Gibson Construction, has been killed by a wall that fell on him at the North Fork Creek water treatment plant in western Pennsylvania.


Trench Collapse Claims One, Injures One

August 4, OSHKOSH, WI - 26 year old Brandan Kalmerton died when he was caught in a trench collapse while working for Northwest Cable Co. Authorities say the men were working for Northwest Cable Company at the time of the incident. They say the men dug a 10-foot hole and were doing utility work when the trench collapsed.


Worker Found Dead in Truck

August 4, CLARKSVILLE, TN - A man died Wednesday morning while running a fiber optic line in Clarksville, according to police. The 44-year-old was seen slumped over in a lift truck's bucket by a co-worker. His cause of death is still under investigation.


Volunteer Worker for Habitat for Humanity Dies

August 4, LANCASTER, PA - 73 year old Ron Mellinger, who was volunteering at a Habitat for Humanity house in Lancaster County, was killed Wednesday after receiving an electrical shock and falling off the roof. Mellinger was carrying a piece of metal that came in contact with a high voltage line, shocking him, police said. That's when he fell the 2 1/2 stories to the ground below. The Lancaster County coroner said Mellinger died of both the electrocution and multiple traumatic injuries from the fall.


Farm Hand Found Dead

August 4, MERCED, CA - a 38 year old man was found dead after working in irrigation field in Stevinson. According to witnesses, the victim was working irrigation in the fields when he told his boss he was heading back to the shop to call it quits for the day. His boss came back to the shop about 45 minutes later and saw the victim’s quad parked next to the shed instead of it being put away. When he got close, he saw the victim lying flat on his back on the ground in front of the quad, according to the deputies. A cause of death won't be determined until an autopsy can be performed. The identity of the victim is being withheld until next-of-kin can be notified.


Worker Killed When Wall Collapses at School

August 4, EDGERTON, OH - 18 year old Keith J. LaFountain died of injuries from blunt force trauma Wednesday afternoon when high winds blew over a wall recently built as part of the expansion of the high school in this Williams County community, authorities said.


Disgruntled Worker Kills Eight in Workplace Shooting Spree

August 3, MANCHESTER, CT - an employee who was being accused of stealing beer from his employer, Hartford Distributors, Inc went on a shooting rampage that killed 8 fellow employees before shooting himself. Following is a list of the workers killed:
Brian Cirigliano
Victor James
Craig Pepin of South Windsor
Doug Scruton
William Ackerman of South Windsor
Edwin Kennison Jr. of East Hartford
Francis Fazio, Sr., 57 of Bristol and Louis Felder Jr., 50 of Stamford are listed among the dead in this linked article along with more information about each of the men's lives.


Roofer Killed When Ladder Touches 8,000 Volt Line

August 3, MARLBORO, MA - an unidentified worker was killed when he and two other men were placing a metal ladder against a roof at the Fairmount Heights Condominiums at 61 Fairmont St. The ladder touched an electrical line, according to Marlboro police Detective Martha A. Shea. The two co-workers were received electric shock and were treated at a local hospital. The victim, 23, is from the Czech Republic and has no local family, Detective Shea said.


Construction Worker Dies in Trench Collapse

August 3, SPEARFISH, SD - 62 year old Larry Dean Finkbeiner died Wednesday when the trench he was working in collapsed. Finkbeiner was working with another man installing water pipe in the area of a new housing development when he was buried. Finkbeiner died before his work partner could dig him out. It was not immediately clear if the two men were working for a company or had landed the pipeline work on their own.


Tree Trimmer Dies After Fall

August 3, RIVER EDGE, NJ - 48 year old Baltazar Santana of Newark died Tuesday from injuries he suffered after falling 35 feet from a tree he was trimming at the corner of Elm and Wales avenues, authorities said. Police found Santana, who worked for Hardwood Tree Service in Upper Saddle River, lying on the ground and not breathing, Chief Thomas Cariddi said.


Driver Killed After Being Pinned in Dump Truck

August 3, SMYRNA, TN - 32 year old John Speakman died as a result of being pinned under his truck after it overturned Tuesday afternoon in Smyrna. Speakman was driving a dump truck hauling gravel when he ran off the edge of the roadway, and the truck went off a ditch line and overturned. The crash pinned Speakman under the roof of the truck.


Maintenance Worker Fatally Shot at Apartment Complex

August 3, ATLANTA, GA - Ernest Maddox, a maintenance worker at Rachel's Court Apartments was found shot to death after he asked an individual to leave the complex because he was causing a disturbance. Maddox also lived at the apartments and was found shot in front of his apartment after an altercation with his killer.


Death of Construction Worker was Heat Related

August 2, MOSS POINT, MS - 48 year old Melvin Caldwell died during his first day on the job, and heat is to blame. Caldwell died Monday afternoon of hyperthermia.


Forestry Worker Killed in Vehicle Accident

August 2, LITTLE ROCK, AR - 25 year old Chris Adams of Bradley was killed when his Arkansas Forestry tractor trailer left the road and rolled over in Lafayette County on Highway 360. Adams was reportedly returning to the scene of a fire that he had been working on earlier in the day.


Ice Creme Vendor Dies of Gunshot Wound

August 2, FRESNO, CA - 73 year old Juan Luna was shot last month while driving his Ice Creme truck. He came back to work for a time but took a turn for the worse this weekend, passing away Saturday as a result of complications from his wounds.


Store Clerk Shot and Killed

August 1, BEAUMONT, TX - 20 year old Dang Minh Nguyen was shot during a robbery attempt at Van's Grocery Store. Investigators say 3 men robbed the store and shot the clerk in the head during the robbery.


Kansas Farmer Killed When Tractor Flips

August 1, WICHITA, KS - 62 year old Joseph Winter of Colwich was driving his tractor Sunday night on a road near Wichita when the wheels got too close to the edge of the road. KSNW-TV reports the tractor flipped over and landed on Winter, pinning him beneath.


Tree Trimmer Dies After Equipment Strikes Power Line

July 31, LOS ANGELES, CA - A tree trimmer died in West Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon after equipment he was using struck a power line, authorities said. A spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department said the 24-year-old suffered a heart attack after his mechanical axe hit an electrified line about 1:30 p.m.


Deadly Explosion Kills Construction Worker

July 30, NORFOLK, MA - 48 year old William Nichols of Blackstone died after being buried under the rubble of a condominium explosion for an hour and a half Friday. Norfolk Fire Chief Coleman Bushnell says the blast was probably triggered by construction work in the basement that caused a rapid release of propane, which somehow ignited.


Burlington Firefighter Dies of Heart Attack

July 30, BURLINGTON, VT - 46 year old Lt. Steven N. Costello, a 23-year veteran of the Burlington Fire Department, died Friday morning after he went into cardiac ar­rest while on duty a week earlier. Members of Costello’s fire crew found him on the floor at about 6:30 p.m. July 23 at Fire Station 2 on North Avenue and tried to resusci­tate him before taking him to Fletcher Allen Health Care.


Worker Killed in Fall at New Grain Elevator

July 30, ALTUS, OK - 42 year old Frankie Heldstab was killed when he fell while working on a new grain elevator. Jackson County Undersheriff Machelle Dickerson says Heldstab was a contractor working for Minnesota-based Vigen Construction - which is building the elevator for Nebraska-based Gavilon Grain LLC.


Gas Explosion Cause of Worker Death

July 30, EAST LOS ANGELES, CA - A catastrophic gas explosion blew the roof off a South Los Angeles building early Friday, leaving one worker clinging to life and a second man dead by electrocution outside, fire officials said. One victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but responders found the second victim under a nearby vehicle and transported him to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. “He was electrocuted trying to move his truck. A 34,500-volt power line fell on the truck, and he didn’t know the vehicle was energized,” officials said. UPDATED news article-a 2nd worker is dead.


Tractor Mishap Claims Life

July 31, WILTON, NH - 58 year old Bruce “Bika” Bakaian died in an accident July 31 doing one of things he liked best. He was out doors in Vermont tending a hayfield. The tractor wheel caught on something and the weight of the hay rake tipped the tractor as he tried to make a sharp turn at the bottom of a hill.


Worker Dies After Falling Down Shaft

July 30, BADEN, PA - 31 year old John "Jack" Hogan III died from injuries he suffered from falling about 30 feet into an underground shaft and not as a result of toxic fumes that flooded the hole where he was working. But questions remained about what happened in the minutes before Mr. Hogan's death, and whether he and three coworkers who were sickened when they rushed into the 30-foot hole to help him. Mr. Hogan, a borough employee for less than two months, had been working in the shaft on the plant's site just before 1 p.m. He was trying to climb out but fell back into the hole, borough officials have said, apparently overcome by toxic fumes, possibly methane gas.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies Trying to Avoid Accident

July 29, CAMPBELL CO.,TN - Gary Gabehart of Louisville, KY swerved to avoid another car stopped for an accident up head, then struck that car flipping it over. Gabehart's rig then drove off the road, going about a thousand feet down an steep cliff. Gabehart was restrained, but still ejected from his truck and died.


Dock Worker Dies Hours Before Job Was Complete

July 29, EAST GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 49 year old William John Ryan, of Pickford, was likely looking to return to his Upper Peninsula home as he worked on the final touches of a floating boardwalk system in Reeds Lake only hours from completion. Instead he died of unknown causes. East Grand Rapids rescue personnel and ambulance staff tried to revive Ryan, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is pending.


Two Young Workers Die in Grain Bin Incident

July 29, MOUNT CARROLL, IL - 19 year old Alejandro Pacas and 14 year old Wyatt Whitebread died after being trapped inside a grain bin. Rescue workers cut holes in the sides of the bin and drained thousands of pounds of corn to free the trapped workers. The bin was half full and can hold 500,000 bushels of shelled corn, authorities said. A preliminary investigation found none of the three workers was wearing safety harnesses or had life lines, an OSHA spokesman said. It's "a preventable accident and it's just unacceptable."


Construction Worker Dies in Trench Collapse

July 29, LOS ANGELES, CA - an unidentified construction worker has died after being buried under 11 feet of dirt at a Pacific Palisades home. He says 95 firefighters and skilled rescue workers tried to free the victim for three hours. Rescuers bored a horizontal hole through the wall of the basement and inserted a fiber optic wire to observe the space where the man was caught in the cave-in. UPDATE: Authorities have identified the victim as 25 year old Gualfer Lopez-Reyes.


Worker Killed in Tree Removal Incident

July 29, BALTIMORE, MD - an employee of the Busy Beaver Tree Co. died when a section of the tree he was cutting fell into another tree which then fell onto the worker, killing him. The worker's name has not been released.


Farmer Killed in Tractor Accident

July 29, EDEN, NJ - 88 year old Ralph Hughes died after a tractor rolled backwards over him Thursday evening. Hughes was standing at the rear of a Massey Ferguson tractor while working on the three-point hitch at 12926 Pleasant Valley Road on Thursday. The tractor, which was not running, rolled backward and injured Hughes.


West Virginia Loses Another Coal Miner

July 29, BELINGTON, WV - 39 year old Jessie Adkins was fatally injured around noon while on the job in Marion County. The miner operator, working as a bolter, had seven years of mining experience, three of which were gained at Loveridge Mine. He was injured when coal and other materials from a section of the side of the mine entry, called the mine rib, collapsed and pinned him against a nearby continuous mining machine. He is survived by a wife, Melissa, and two teenage children.


Police Investigate Fatal Farm Equipment Incident

July 29, URBANA, MD - 61 year old Edward Diesel was killed in a farm equipment accident Friday. Police in their preliminary investigation found that Diesel, of Cider Hill Road was mowing a field with a small tractor and rear-mounted mower when the tractor stalled. Diesel tried to start the tractor by rolling it downhill, but was thrown from the tractor and run over by its rear tire, police said.


Man Gunned Down During Robbery

July 29, FLUSHING, NY - 49 year old Nadeem Khan living with family in Long Island was shot and killed Sunday morning while working the night shift at a Flushing gas station that an assemblywoman said had been plagued by an increase in criminal activity. Surveillance tape captured two men robbing the store and shooting the station attendant. Police said the immigrant was shot several times in the stomach during a burglary of the gas station’s convenience shop.


AZ Undercover Police Officer Shot, Killed

July 28, CHANDLER, AZ - 34 year old Carlos Ledesma was killed in a Phoenix shootout with drug dealers. Wednesday's operation involved undercover officers trying to buy bales of marijuana, and they were apparently not wearing their vests when the worst took place, flying bullets felling cops, according to reports.


Driver Dies When Semi Crashes

July 28, FORGAN, OK - 50 year old Edwin Dale Searcy died after his tractor-trailer rolled Wednesday morning while trying to turn off State Highway 64 east of Forgan. Searcy was late in attempting the turn and rolled the rig, with the tractor rolling one time and coming to rest on its wheels, as the trailer tank rolled three-quarters ending up on its passenger side. Seat belts were not in use, according to the report.


DMV Worker Dies During Training

July 27, EDNEYVILLE, NC - 38 year old Timothy Charles Barnes of Rocky Mount died Wednesday after collapsing following physical training at the N.C. Justice Academy in Edneyville. Barnes collapsed Tuesday following physical training for the NCDMV License and Theft Bureau’s inspector program.


Driver Dies in Single Vehicle Accident

July 26, GREER, AZ - The driver of an Arizona Public Service (APS) truck died following a one vehicle accident around 5 p.m. Monday afternoon 1/2 mile west of the Greer turn-off on State Route 260. The male driver was the only occupant.


Truck Driver Dead After Legs Crushed by Falling Pipe

July 23, DUPO, MO - A woman is dead after her legs were crushed by a steel pipe on Friday. Witnesses say the victim was an independent truck driver. Her semi was loaded with 24-inch steel pipes, ready for transport. A witness said that as crews were securing the heavy load, one of those large pipes rolled off the top of the truck falling and crushing the driver standing below.


Worker Dies From Head Injury

July 23, YORK, PA - 23 year old Robert Enfield of Hellam died Saturday from injuries he suffered at the Americold plant in York County. Investigators say a one-ton dock weight fell on Enfield's head. The coroner says he died from blunt force trauma to the head.