Friday, October 21, 2011

Weekly Toll:Death in the American Workplace

Bridge Worker Suffers Fatal Head Injuries

October 20, WARRENSBURG, NY - 62 year old John "Jack" Lattimore of Schroon Lake died after suffering head trauma while performing maintenance on the Glen Bridge. Lattimore, a Dept.of Transportation employee, was in a lift bucket of a boom truck working under the bridge when his head was struck by a steel beam. Authorities say Lattimore was wearing a safety harness and helmet when the incident occurred.


Worker Killed in Garage Incident

October 19, MARSHFIELD, MA - 39 year old Brian Fosdick died Wednesday while working in the garage of a septic services company. Fosdick was found lying next to a septic truck at All-Town Inc. and it appears he suffered blunt force trauma to the forehead while doing some kind of tire changing work on an industrial truck. Police and OSHA are conducting an investigation.


Man Pinned by Equipment Dies

October 19, MINNETRISTA, MN - an unidentified 61 year old man was killed Wednesday when he became trapped the hydraulics of a garbage truck. An employee for Blackowiak & Son, the man was found pinned in the hydraulic arm of the garbage truck, according to Minnetrista police.


Contractor Dies in Fall

October 19, NORTH KINGSTON, RI - 44 year old Juan Molina of Central Falls died after falling from the roof he was repairing at Senesco Marine on Wednesday. Molina was killed when he stepped on a plank that broke in half and he fell 47 feet. He was repairing damage caused to the building by Hurricane Irene.


Power Company Employee Electrocuted

October 18, NACOGDOCHES, TX - 21 year old Aaron Sullender of Broaddus died Tuesday after being electrocuted while working on lines between Nacogdoches and Garrison. Sullender, an employee for Deep East Texas Electric Corp. was working on the line on County Road 1362, following Tuesday's storm, when he came in contact with a high-voltage line. He was transported to an area hospital where he died of his injuries.


Worker Dies in Trench Collapse

October 18, BISMARCK, ND - 41 year old Troy Thurlby died and another worked injured in a trench collapse Tuesday. The incident happened as a crew was working on a water line near Menoken. Thurlby's employer was Advanced Plumbing & Heating Inc. No further details are available.


Taxi Driver Found Murdered

October 18, CHESTERFIELD, VA - 49 year old Peter J. Ambrister of Colonial Heights was found dead inside his Boulevard Cab Company vehicle. Police are investigating and looking for anyone with information.


Worker Thrown From Bucket Truck

October 18, QUINCY, MA - 58 year old Robert DeCristofaro of Braintree died after being thrown from a bucket truck. Decristofaro, a Quincy City employee, was up in the bucket of a rented truck when the driver of an 18-wheeler hit the truck, sending DeCristofaro to the ground. He was transported to an area hospital where he died. OSHA is investigating.


Man Killed in Tractor Rollover

October 18, DANVILLE, VA - 39 year old William Edgar Burden died after the tractor he was operating overturned and pinned him underneath. Burden and another man were removing metal from abandoned mobile home sites when the accident occurred.


Station Clerk Shot to Death

October 17, WASHINGTON, DC - Mohammed Abduselam was gunned down by one of two gunmen who entered the Kink Gas Convenience store to rob it. Abduselam was re-stocking shelves when two men entered the store. When Abduselam saw one of the men had a gun, he stepped outside to call 9-1-1. One of the gunmen followed him outside and shot him.


Surface Miner Killed in Equipment Incident

October 17, CHARLESTON, WV - 62 year old Charles McIntire died Monday when he was struck and run over by a large piece of equipment at Consol Energy's Shoemaker Mine. A report states that McIntire was operating a machine used to dig trenches when it reached a gap in a trolley wire and didn't coast through. McIntire got off the machine and put a jumper cable on the wire. An eyewitness reported that the machine moved forward suddenly when McIntire connected the jumper cable to it and ran over him.


Truck Driver Killed in Truck Rollover

October 17, WALLA WALLA, WA - 51 year old Kevin Bruce Hensley of Bowie, AZ was killed when his tractor trailer crashed Monday near Walla Walla. For an unknown reason Hensley crossed the center line, but then he overcorrected the semi which caused it to overturn and slide off the highway into a field.


Employee Dies of Medical Issue While on Duty

October 16, LEVITTOWN, NY - 56 year old Frank Mazza died Sunday after suffering a medical issue at a football game on Saturday. Mazza, an employee for Division Avenue High School, suffered a brain aneurysm while working security at the school's home football game. He died Sunday at an area hospital. Mazza was well known and loved for his involvement in his community.


Restaurant Owner Succumbs to Toxic Fumes

October 16, MIAMI, FL - 50 year old Tomas Gil died after he was exposed to toxic fumes in a septic tank outside of Esther's Restaurant in North Miami, Sunday. Gil was inside the septic tank outside the restaurant when other workers heard him scream for help. An employee who was unaware of the dangers went inside to help Gil but was also overcome by the fumes. Rescue workers pulled the men from the space but Gil later died at the hospital. The employee was treated and released.


On Duty Officer Killed by Intoxicated Driver

October 16, MT. ARLINGTON, NJ - 38 year old Mount Arlington Police Officer Joseph Wargo was killed in a crash early Sunday morning. Wargo was on patrol when a driver believed to be under the influence lost control of his car, crossed the median and slammed into Wargo's cruiser. Wargo was transported to an area hospital when he died. The driver of the car is under arrest.


Indy Race Car Driver Dies in Fiery Crash

October 16, LAS VEGAS, NV - 33 year old Dan Weldon of England died in a horrific multi-vehicle crash during the 13th lap of the Indy 300 auto race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Sunday. As cars raced down the track, one and then another began to spin and at some point Weldon's car went airborne and crashed into a side concrete wall. He was airlifted to a local hospital where he died of unsurvivable injuries a few hours later. Several other drivers were treated for their injuries.


Tractor Trailer Slams Into Car & Tow Vehicle, Kills All

October 16, WELLS, NV - 20 year old Jesse John Pengelly of Wells and a couple from Washington state were killed in the early hours of Sunday morning. Pengelly was in the process of loading the couple's car onto his tow vehicle when the driver of a tractor trailer slammed into the back of the disabled vehicle, killing the couple. Their car was then propelled up over the back of the tow truck and hit Pengelly. Pengelly was transported to a Utah hospital where he died.


Construction Worker Suffers Fatal Head Injuries

October 15, SIOUX CITY, IA - 35 year old Jorge Ramon Morales of North Sioux City died after he was struck by falling masonry on a job site. Morales was working on a construction addition to Heelan Hall at Briar Cliff University. Details on the circumstances were not given.


Tractor Trailer Driver Killed in Crash

October 15, LEXINGTON, NC - 53 year old Frank Peter Childs of Greenville died Saturday from injuries received in a crash of his Estes Express Lines semi. For an unknown reason, Childs ran into the back of an SUV which caused his semi to run off the road. It hit several trees before turning over and ignited on fire. Childs died at the scene.


Forest Service Employee Found Dead

October 14, PORTLAND, OR - 64 year old James Proctor was found collapsed on a trail by Larch Mountain Road by two hikers Friday. Proctor, a U.S. Forest Service employee, was found unconscious and unresponsive on Multnomah Creek trail and emergency responders were unable to revive him. The exact cause of Mr. Proctor's death is unknown at this time.


Man Murders Co-Worker

October 14, MOUNTAIN LAKES, NJ - 47 year old Christine Capone King of Oak Ridge died Friday at the hands of a co-worker. King was the office manager & secretary of the Exit Realty Gold Service office in Mountain Lakes. For an unknown reason, a co-worker and seemingly friend, walked into the office and shot King while she was sitting at her desk. The man was subsequently shot to death by officers who he engaged in an exchange of gunfire in a parking lot outside the office.


Man Dies Two Days After Brother From Toxic Exposure

October 14, ARVIN, CA - 22 year old Eladio Rameriz has died, two days after his 16 year old brother Armando died, both of toxic fumes exposure at a recycling facility. Eladio was a contract worker of A&B Harvesting working at the Community Recycling facility. Both young men, and another worker, were inside a confined space at the facility when they were overcome by the toxic fumes. According to reports, the workers were not given the proper safety equipment to do the job they were doing. Armando's death was reported in last week's Weekly Toll.


Fast Food Worker Shot to Death

October 14, LANSING, MI - 21 year old Marcus Schrauben was shot to death by an armed gunman who attempted to rob the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant he was working at. The gunman entered the store and shot Schrauben who then ran outside the restaurant where he collapsed.


Tow Truck Driver Struck and Killed

October 14, RUTHERFORD, NJ - 51 year old Mark Angelo of Lyndhurst died after being struck by a vehicle while loading a car onto his Nick's Towing tow truck. Angelo was hoisting a car on a Route 17 ramp in Rutherford when he was hit by a tractor trailer after 1:30AM. An investigation is underway. UPDATE: More information on this incident can be found HERE.


Fiery Semi Crash Kills Driver

October 14, HOUSTON, TX - 45 year old Michael Winfield died after his tractor trailer rig crashed at a Sam Houston Tollway. Winfield lost control of his truck which slammed into a concrete barrier, went airborne and landed on top of another vehicle at the tollway, killing its driver. After hitting the SUV, both it and the semi burst into flames trapping the SUV driver.


Truck Driver Suffers Medical Event Before Crash

October 14, MACKINAW CITY, MI - Randolph Smith suffered an apparent heart attack while driving on the Mackinac Bridge Friday. Smith was unconscious when he traveling across 4 lanes of traffic, hitting one vehicle head on. No other injuries were reported. The crash is still under investigation.


Construction Worker Suffers Fatal Injuries

October 14, KEYES, OK - 48 year old Danny J. Stump of Guymon Friday after he was run over by a road construction vehicle. Stump was stringing line in a construction zone on State Highway 171 near Keyes when he was run over by the right wheel tires of a Peterbilt truck. The machine was backing down the roadway. Stump died at the scene.


Worker Dies After Being Pinned at Food Plant

October 13, LODI, CA - 53 year old Gary Lawce died in a rail car incident at the Lodi General Mills plant Thursday. Police said Lawce tried to stop a moving rail car by setting a brake but the car continued to roll, pinning him. Lawce was taken to an area hospital but did not survive his injuries.


Tree Service Worker Fatally Electrocuted

October 13, NEW HOPE, VA - 43 year old John R. Bowden of Craigsville was fatally electrocuted when he came into contact with live electrical wires. Bowden was in a bucket truck, clearing tree limbs near a power line running along Middle Lane Road, when the accident occurred. Bowden worked for Asplundh Tree Service who had been hired by Dominion Virginia Power to clear the tree limbs. He got tangled up in power line according to the sheriff.


Man Suffers Fatal Chainsaw Injuries

October 13, ROCKDALE, GA - 40 year old Pedro Martinez-Torres died Thursday after an incident involving a chain saw. Martinez-Torres was working in a tree and was later found by the property owner unconscious in the tree. He had cuts on his face and head. The homeowner noticed blood on the ground when he arrived at the home and called emergency responders. Martinez-Torres died on the scene.


Glider Pilot Killed Making Commercial

October 13, CLE ELUM, WA - 53 year old William Weller of Tukwila was killed after his glider crashed Thursday during the shooting of a General Motors commercial in Cle Elum. With a helicopter shooting the action from above, the aircraft crashed into trees immediately after takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Weller owned Northwest Eagle Soaring and the production company filming the commercial is Supply & Demand Integrated of Los Angeles.


Man Dies in Farming Incident

October 13, ALEXANDRIA, MN - 50 year old Lyndon Wilberg died Thursday when the farm tractor he was driving rolled over. No details on how the incident happened were given. Wilberg farmed for 10 years in Nora Township and for the past 18 years owned and operated his own residential construction company.


Tower Technician Dies From Fall

October 12, NEWTON, MA - 30 year old Matthew D. Goodner of Fort Dodge, IA died in a fall from a communications tower west of Boston on Wednesday. Goodner worked for a subcontractor doing work at the American Tower Corp. structure where the crew were placing a new antenna pole and safety ladder. It is unclear how far Goodner fell but the tower is 1,000 feet tall.


Worker Dies of Heat Related Stress

October 12, NIMPOMO, CA - 41 year old Jesse Maldonado died after falling ill while working of the Willow Road Interchange Project in Nimpomo. While working Maldonado complained of feeling ill. Emergency responders transported him to a local hospital where he died. Cal-OSHA is investigating his death as a heat related incident.


Beloved Sign Holder Dies in Hit and Run

October 10, NAPLES, FL - 49 year old Stephen "Lugnut" Duzick died of multiple injuries when he was struck by a suspected drunk driver while working to advertise a local restaurant by holding a sign. Although "Lugnut" was a Little Person, he was a huge favorite of so many people in his community and loved by all. The man accused of hitting Duzick was arrested and faces multiple charges.













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