Weekly Toll

Store General Manager Found Shot

January 27, SYLVANIA, OH - 65 year old James Schueler was found shot in the head by another employee in an office area of the store, Forklifts of Toledo, he managed. He was transported to University of Toledo Medical Center when he died. An investigation continues to determine if his death was a homicide.


Tavern Owner Found Dead After Fire

January 27, SCHILLER PARK, IL - 67 year old George Markopoulos, the owner of the Horseshoe Inn Tavern, died early Thursday morning soon after he was discovered by firefighters who had responded to a three-alarm fire at his business. The Cook County medical examiner's office said that Markopoulos may have died of head trauma. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday.



Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash

January 27, ASHLAND, OR - 69 year old Robert Ormerod of Shingletown, CA died in a truck accident near Ashland Thursday. According to Oregon State Police a 2006 Peterbilt truck pulling a trailer loaded with produce driven by Ormerod was traveling northbound on Interstate 5 near milepost 15. For an unknown reason the truck left the northbound lanes into the center median, went over an embankment and landed in Bear Creek. The cause of the crash is unknown and still under investigation.


Mine Accident Claims Life of Miner

January 27, PINEVILLE, WV - An unidentified miner has died in an accident involving a conveyor belt. Leslie Fitzwater with the Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training says the accident occurred about 12:25 p.m. Thursday and involved a conveyer belt at the Jims Branch No. 3A mine. A person who answered the phone at mine owner Baylor Mining declined comment.


New Fire Department Recruit Dies During Training

January 26, WEST MEMPHIS, AR - 38 year old David Eason, a new recruit for West Memphis Fire, died late Wednesday afternoon while out of town conducting recruit exercises. According to Chief Gately, Eason collapsed late Wednesday afternoon during a training exercise at what is known as "rookie school" in Camden, AR. He was in the middle of 10 weeks of training in Camden joining the department in late December. Eason reportedly suffered a heart attack.


Officer Dies of Injuries

January 26, INDIANAPOLIS, IN - 29 year old Officer David Moore, who was shot Jan 23 during a traffic stop and has been on life support since, has died of those injuries. Moore, an IMPD patrol officer since 2004, was shot four times—twice in the face—during a traffic stop on Sunday morning on the Near Northside, near 34th Street and North Temple Avenue. He had been in a coma in the intensive care unit since then. Moore also was shot in the hip; a fourth bullet to his chest was stopped by his protective vest.




Worker Crushed Between Loader and Container

January 26, SMETHPORT, PA - 59 year old Joseph Emery Peterson of Kane was killed when he was pinned between a loader and a trash container at a northwestern Pennsylvania excavating company. Police say Peterson was hooking a chain to a trash container when the bucket of a Terex loader pinned him against the heavy metal container Tuesday afternoon. Peterson had been using the loader to move the trash containers. He died at the scene.


Worker Crushed by Equipment

January 26, GOOCHLAND, VA - Although she was an inmate at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women, 43 year old Amy Teresa Madsen was also a worker. She was killed by a piece of equipment that fell on her which was called a shuttle and it carried hundreds of pounds of wet laundry from washers to driers. The 4 p.m. incident occurred when employees were repairing commercial laundry equipment, a spokesman said.


Truck Driver Dies in Three Vehicle Crash

January 26, NEWARK, NJ - 41 year old Kenneth M. Jarrow of Dunmore, PA was killed Wednesday morning when his Mack truck slammed into two other trucks on Interstate 78, police said. Mr. Jarrow failed to stop for slowing traffic, rear-ending another truck and sending it into a third. The cause of his death was not immediately available.


Trucker Driver Found Dead in Truck

January 25, LOUISVILLE, KY - 43 year old Teddy Allen Belcher of Albermarle, SC was found dead in his truck on the side of Interstate 64 in downtown Louisville early Tuesday morning. He apparently had a heart condition, a deputy coroner said. Officers responded to a report of a truck against a guardrail on the side of I-64 and found Belcher slumped over the wheel of the truck.


Worker Crushed in Industrial Accident

January 25, INDIANAPOLIS, IN - 36 year old Randall Carter of Greencastle has died a day after he was badly injured during an accident at Evonik Degussa's Tippecanoe Laboratories Monday. Carter was operating a mobile lift vehicle at the Tippecanoe Laboratories when he became lodged next to a building while in the vehicle's basket around 1:30 p.m. Monday. Carter worked for Performance Contracting.


Truck Driver Dies in Wreck

January 25, CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY, MO - 58 year old Roger Hamm of Chaffee, a diesel truck driver for MFA, died when his truck overturned. The truck appears to have run off the side of the road, overcorrected and went to the other side of the road where it overturned, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol. Hamm was trapped inside the truck and died at the scene.


Man Dies in Logging Camp Accident

January 25, AFOGNAK ISLAND, AK - 47 year old Daniel T. Messer was killed at a logging camp on Afognak Island while working on a coil of steel cable. Troopers say he was discovered pinned between the steel coil and its shipping container.


Construction Worker Dies From Medical Emergency

January 25, SAUK CO, WI - 53 year old Dale A. Griffa of Wonewoc died while working on a barn roof on Tuesday. Griffa had been working on the roof of the barn when he collapsed and slid down the roof onto the platform of a sky lift which had been used to elevate him to the roof. Efforts to revive Mr. Griffa, at the scene by the Reedsburg Paramedics were unsuccessful. The incident was investigated by the Sheriff and Coroner's Office, it is believed the man died due to a medical condition that had occurred while he was working on the roof.


Woman Dies in Farm Accident

January 25, STERLING, WI - 39 year old Laura Groskreutz died after falling into a feed mixer on her family farm on Tuesday. The Vernon County Sheriff's Department says Groskreutz apparently fell into the machine while doing chores and was found by her husband a short time later. The incident remains under investigation.


Farmer Dies in Equipment Accident

January 25, WINDOM, MN - 53 year old Douglas Edward Soleta was killed Tuesday afternoon when he slipped on snow and ice and became entangled in a power takeoff (PTO) driveshaft. He was reportedly taking corn out of a bin and loading it into a semi when he slipped and became entangled in the PTO.


Worker Dies on Bridge Construction Project

January 25, KNOXVILLE, TN - 33 year old John Womac of Athens, TN was killed while working around a trak hoe on the Henley Street Bridge work site. "It appears that a male worker was working around a track hoe when he was hit by a piece of equipment," said Darrell DeBusk, public information officer for KPD. Police and rescuers from the Knoxville Fire Department responded just after 8 a.m. Tuesday to find Womac had suffered massive trauma. He was transported to UT Medical Center, where DeBusk says he died an hour later.


Utility Worker Electrocuted

January 24, WAXAHACHIE, TX - 32 year old Jacob Lee Willis was electrocuted Monday afternoon while working to replace a power pole in a Double Oak neighborhood in Denton County. Willis was working on a power pole replacement crew with the Southern Electric Corp. when an energized power cable touched a hydraulic lift he was working and struck him with a large amount of electricity, according to a Double Oak Police Department news release. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.


Construction Worker Crushed by Beam

January 24, IOWA CITY, IA - 52 year old Kevin Dean Hammons of Washington died Monday morning at a construction site on the University of Iowa campus after a beam fell on him. He was an employee of Iowa Bridge & Culvert of Washington. Iowa City Fire Lt. Brian Rohr said the worker was inside the construction site when the accident occurred. The work site is cordoned off by tall wooden planks that were supported by a square-shaped beam, and Rohr said that beam fell on the worker.


University Faculty Member Dies in Freak Accident

January 24, HOUSTON, TX - Dianne Erdmann, a faculty member of Baylor University, was killed Monday morning when she was pinned by her own SUV in the Texas Medical Center, according to authorities. Erdmann got out of her white Cadillac Escalade to scan her card and raise the access gate, but did not put the SUV in park. The Cadillac rolled forward, pinning her between the vehicle and a pole near the gate. She died at the scene.


Tanker Truck Driver Dies in Truck Rollover

January 24, WOODWARD, PA - 46 year old Richard A. Beck was killed late Monday night when he lost control of his northbound tanker truck which went off Route 220 and crashed into the parking lot of the former Woodward Township Elementary School, state police said. The tanker, which was carrying a non-hazardous chemical, went into a drainage ditch and overturned in the parking lot, trapping Beck in the wreckage.


State Highway Worker Dies in Crash

January 24, LEXINGTON, KY - 23 year old Bryan Shepherd of Campton is dead following a traffic accident Monday morning in Magoffin County. Shepherd was on his way to prepare Magoffin County equipment with snow scrapers for the upcoming storm when he crashed into a tree. “He left the roadway in the northbound side, travelled a pretty good distance there, where he struck an embankment, pretty severe damage to the vehicle,” Trooper Michael Haney said. Trooper's do not know yet what caused the crash.


Feeder Driver Dies in Crash

January 24, CHERRY HILL, NJ - 48 year old Peter Parkes of Stratford, CT, a UPS Feeder Semi Driver, was killed in a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike Monday morning. Reports say the UPS driver side-swiped a turnpike service van that was helping refuel another tractor-trailer on the side of the highway. The UPS truck then overturned and slid off the roadway.


Worker Killed in Industrial Accident

January 24, BROOKLYN, NY - an unidentified 22 year old worker for Tortilleria Chinantla, was killed when when he fell into the waist-high tub of a dough mixing machine and was pinned by the metal blade, which is not sharp but is powered by a strong motor, the police said. The half-dozen other workers were unable to save him. No criminality is suspected. UPDATE: Authorities have identified the young man who died in this accident as Juan Baten.


Bar Manager Dies in Fire

January 24, WEVER, IA - 47 year old Kenneth Thomas of Denmark was identified as the person who was killed in a fire that destroyed the Green Bay Tap. He was the manager and bartender. Officials say an autopsy showed he died of smoke inhalation.



Two Florida Officers Killed in Shoot Out

January 24, ST. PETERSBURG, FL - 48 year old Sgt Tom Baitinger and 48 year old Jeffrey Yaslowitz were killed when they responded to a call for back up. The fugitive was holed up in the attic of a house and a shoot-out ensued. Yaslowitz went down in the attic, while a marshal tumbled to the first floor after being hit in his bulletproof vest and lower torso. Baitinger was one of several officers who came to rescue the other two and was hit when the fugitive fired through the attic floor.





Farmer Killed When Tree Falls on Tractor

January 24, RESACA, GA - 70 year old Marvin Lomax was killed while working on his farm when a tree fell and crushed the cab.


Semi Truck Driver Killed in Fiery Crash

January 23, GROSSE TETE, LA - 54 year old Donald Hunt of Louisville, MS died Sunday when the cab of his 18-wheeler rolled onto its side and caught fire, according to a State Police news release. The 18-wheeler’s trailer began to jackknife but stayed upright while the truck’s cab rolled onto its left side, Graham said in the release.


Crane Accident Kills Worker

January 22, JACKSONVILLE, FL - Anthony F. Roberts of St. Augustine, was killed when pieces of an old crane he was removing for scrap crashed into the cab of a crane he was operating. According to his family, Roberts started work as an outside contractor at JaxPort last Thursday. After just one day of work, he went home and told his wife it was too dangerous. Although he was hired for 4 weeks of temporary work, they said he planned to make Saturday his last day because he feared he or someone else would be killed. Roberts went in Friday and said he'd be quitting. He decided to work one more day, the day he unfortunately died.


Chicago City Worker Killed in Accident

January 22, CHICAGO, IL - 29 year old Candis Ricks, an employee for Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation, was killed in a car crash on the southwest side of Chicago. Officials with Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation tell WLS-TV that Ricks had been working to enforce the city's snow parking ban at the time of the crash.



University Employee Found Dead in Lab

January 22, MORGANTOWN, WV - 38 year old Michael R. Morisette, an assistant professor of exercise physiology in the School of Medicine at West Virginia University, was found dead in a lab office around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. WVU Police Chief Bob Roberts said they do not suspect foul play at this point of the investigation, but are waiting on details from the State Medical Examiner’s Office to make a final determination.



Man Saved From Burning Log Truck Dies of Injuries

January 22, SMOAKS, SC - 77 year old Donald J. Searson who was injured in a traffic accident on Augusta Highway Jan. 12 has died Saturday as a result of his injuries. His loaded log truck had been headed east on Augusta Highway when it went off the roadway and hit two driveway culverts before overturning and catching fire. The truck cab had sustained heavy damage from the logs, the impact of the crash propelling them into the cab. Bystanders were able to rescue him at the time.


Shop Owner Dies in Fire

January 22, LAKE HAUSER, MT - 45 year old Matthew J. Warner died in a fire that started in his mechanical shop next to his home. Warner had reportedly been working on an oil burning stove before the fire began. Burning tires on a road grader truck in the shed were particularly difficult to extinguish, and firefighters had to work from outside the structure because a sagging roof and the heat from the fire made it unsafe to send them inside, Fire Chief Drake said.


Hit and Run Driver Kills Valet

January 22, DENVER, CO - 21 year old Jose Medina, on his third night of working at the Rockstar Lounge as a Valet, was hit and killed Saturday night. Medina was struck while he was holding the door of a patron's car. An employee at a neighboring told 7NEWS the pickup truck plowed through the parked car's open door, hitting the valet. Medina's family said he was trying to earn extra money to buy his fiancee a birthday present. Her birthday is on Monday.


Store Clerk Shot in Robbery

January 22, LONG BEACH, CA - 53 year old Phouma Sor, a store clerk for P & B Liquor, was shot and killed during a robbery at the store near the corner of Fourth Street and Cherry Avenue, said Long Beach police Sgt. Rico Fernandez. Customers, who came to pay their respects, said Sor was a well-liked Cambodian immigrant who had worked at P&B Liquor for years. He would even extend credit to regular customers in need.



Cab Driver Found Slain

January 21, ORLANDO, FL - 35 year old Matthew Manolas was found dead by police in his cab behind Lake Highland Prep on Friday morning. Officers have arrested three people in connection with the case and all three are facing first-degree murder charges. Family and friends held a candlelight vigil Sunday for Manolas, who is the second cab driver killed in the last 10 days in Orlando.


Police Officer Dies in Crash

January 21, SUMTER, SC - Corporal Charles Nesbitt Jr. was killed in a two vehicle collision while on duty Friday. Nesbitt and another officer, were on their way back to Sumter Friday after transporting a prisoner to DJJ when they collided head-on with an SUV on Highway 521 near Rembert. The officers were taken to a hospital where Nesbitt died from trauma from the accident. Troopers have not released any more information about the circumstances behind the wreck.


Man Trying to Help Co-Workers Dies

January 21, LOS ANGELES, CA - 33 year old Henry Astilla tried to help his co-workers but died as a result. Astilla called 911 early Friday after noticing two Baxter Healthcare colleagues had collapsed while cleaning blood plasma from a tank, according to officials. Officials said the workers had been inside the tank, using detergent to clean it of blood plasma, and they were overcome by ethanol, which was used as a separating agent for blood plasma. Astilla was found by firefighters without a pulse and died at the hospital. The other workers are reported to have survived but their names have not been released.


Farmer Run Over by Tractor Dies of Injuries

January 21, HYRUM, UT - 65 year old William "Bill" Arnold died after being run over by his hay trailer while feeding cattle at his property. Lt. Chad Jensen says Arnold had his tractor in idle but was run over by his hay trailer when he fell. Jensen says Arnold’s wife found him behind their home. He died at the scene.


Worker Killed In Drilling Rig Accident

January 21, ORANGE CITY, IA - 46 year old Andrew Lambert of McCook Lake, SD was killed when he became trapped in the auger of drilling equipment. He died Friday afternoon at the scene, a field in Orange City. Lambert was drilling test holes in the ground for Certified Testing Services, Inc of Sioux City. The sheriff’s report says Lambert had become trapped in the auger of the drilling equipment and was killed.


Trucker Dies as Result of Winter Driving Hazards

January 20, BLOOMSBURG, PA - Mark Kowalski of Albany, NY died in a crash with another semi. Pennsylvania State Police said the cab of a tractor-trailer rolled after hitting another truck's trailer that had partly slid into the median on the snow-covered interstate.


Fire Captain Dies En Route to Fire

January 20, DIXON, MO - 80 year old Dixon Rural Fire Protection Volunteer Fire Captain Leslie "Les" Clark died Thursday after suffering a medical emergency while on duty. Clark was driving a tanker to the scene of a reported structure fire when he warned a crew member he felt he might pass out and lost consciousness. The other firefighter reached over and stopped the apparatus with the air brake. Firefighters removed Captain Clark from the vehicle and began CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.


Truck Driver Crushed When Load Shifted

January 20, WANATAH, IN - 34 year old Andrew Costa of Sheridan, WY was killed in an accident involving another semi. Costa was westbound U.S. 30 at CR-700W when it struck the back of a slow-moving semi in front of it. As a result, one of two 20,000 pound steel coils on Costa’s truck broke loose and crushed his cab. He was pinned inside and Cass-Clinton and Hanna volunteer fire departments, as well as men from John’s Garage, Wanatah, all worked to free him. Costa died at the scene, and the cause of death was massive blunt force injury.


Judge Dies at Work

January 19, EUGENE, OR - 63 year old Albert Radcliffe, a judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, died unexpectedly at work in Eugene. The Register-Guard reports the cause of death for 63-year-old Albert Radcliffe is still to be determined.


Earlier this month, 83 year old Howard Garland of Rydal, died after he became trapped in an enclosed-cab farm tractor that had overturned into a pond.


Worker Death From Last Year Not Previously Known

May 30, 2010, VICTOR, IA - 46 year old Jeffrey D. McAdam was a maintenance worker for the Iowa DOT working in a rest area on I-80 in Iowa County and was found in the men's restroom shot and later died of his wounds. A person was arrested and charged with his murder.

Two Miami Officers Killed in Line of Duty

January 20, MIAMI, FL - Two Miami-Dade Police Officers trying to serve a murder warrant in Liberty City were killed in a shoot out Thursday that also killed the suspect. Police said the first officer, 21-year veteran Roger Castillo, had been shot once and died at the scene. The second officer, 23-year veteran Amanda Haworth, was taken to a hospital and later died from several gunshot wounds.


Worker Kidnapped and Killed by Patient

January 20, REVERE, MA - 25 year old Stephanie Moulton of Peabody, a residential counselor at a group home, was killed by a mentally troubled man who kidnapped her from the home. She was allegedly attacked and taken away from the facility sometime yesterday by the man. Her body was later found in a parking lot behind St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lynn. The group home in Revere is run by the North Suffolk Mental Health Association, under contract with the state Department of Mental Health.


Driver of Logging Truck Dies in Crash

January 19, HALIFAX, VA - 60 year old Carroll W. White of Martinsville died when another truck collided with his, causing his truck to overturn. The crash caused logs from White's truck to spill along the roadway. White was a driver for Triple "S" Trucking Inc. in Ringgold.


Logger Dies When Equipment Falls in Creek

January 19, SHERIDAN, OR - 44 year old Dan Fults of Albany, an Oregon logger, was killed when the heavy equipment he was driving fell into a creek while trying to cross a small bridge. Fults was operating a logging shovel near Sheridan on Wednesday when the equipment fell into Mill Creek. Deputies are investigating the cause of the accident.


Volunteer Firefighter Dies Fighting Blaze

January 19, BALTIMORE, MD - 43 year old Mark Balkenhan, a member of the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company and worked for the U.S. Secret Service, died Wednesday evening in a four-alarm apartment fire in the Parkville area of Baltimore County, Maryland, officials said. Firefighters had rescued a woman and were searching for more possible survivors on the second and third floors when a "flashover" occurred, according to the chief. A flashover is a powerful ignition of combustible materials.


Trucker Killed in Truck Rollover

January 19, METROPOLIS, IL - 58 year old Wayne F. Monds of Williamsport, PA died after his vehicle went off a southern Illinois interstate highway early Wednesday and overturned. Monds was westbound when his 2010 Freightliner tractor-trailer went off the left side of the pavement, hit several trees and came to its rest on the driver's side.


Worker Killed in Farming Accident

January 19, CHAMBERSBURG, PA - 44 year old Rodney Hawbaker died while working at a private farm in Franklin County. Officials said an employee of the Hamilton Township farm was apparently caught in an auger at the bottom of the silo. The incident occurred at around 9 a.m. in the 1800 block of Warm Spring Road.


Truck Driver Killed When Rig Overturns

January 19, RUSKIN, FL - 49 year old Adolfo Ramirez died when he lost control of his semi and it overturned. He failed to negotiate a curve, traveled off the left shoulder and overturned, troopers said. He was not wearing a seat belt.




Ground Zero Firefighter Dies

January 18, LONG ISLAND, NY - 55 year old William Quick, a 23 year veteran of the FDNY, who was on duty when the tragedy of 9/11 happened and spent a couple of months digging through the rubble of the aftermath, has died of a lung disease associated with his work at the site. He was forced to retire in 2003 after developing multiple lung infections. In the end, he was hooked up around the clock to a machine that gave him the oxygen that his lungs no longer could take from the air. He leaves behind a wife and 17 year old twins.




Gas Explosion Kills Worker, Injures Others

January 18, PHILADELPHIA, PA - 19 year old Mark Keeley, an employee of Philadelphia Gas Works was found dead in the rubble and others seriously injured in an explosion in the Tacony Section of Philadelphia. Workers arrived after a report of a gas smell to find gas bubbling up through the street. Without warning, the explosion occurred as crews were working to patch a high-pressure gas main break. The area had just been evacuated before the explosion.


Elementary School Teacher Found Dead

January 18, OSAWATOMIE, KS - Cindy Swartz, a gifted education teacher for Trojan Elementary School, was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon at Miami County Medical Center after she was found unconscious and not breathing in the vicinity of the building's main office. According to a press release issued by the school district that afternoon, Schwartz, a native of Iowa, has worked in the Osawatomie school district for 18 years. The cause of death is not known at this time.



Restaurateur Suffers Heart Attack
January 17, LAKEVIEW, IL - 48 year old Rich Hess, owner of Sheffield's restaurant/bar, died suddenly Monday night of a heart attack while at the restaurant. Hess was also a freelance writer working on a book about the Cubs.



Worker Killed as Truck Slams Into Door

January 17, PATTERSON, NJ - 34 year old Douglas Maresca of Lake Hiawatha was killed this morning after he stepped out to open the rear loading door and was struck by another truck, police said. A sanitation rig traveling on Wait Street slammed into his metal carting truck, forcing the bay door to close on top of him, according Lt. Alex Popov. Maresca had pulled up to the rear entrance of United Scrap Iron, a scrap yard on Wait Street. He died instantly.


Teen Delivery Driver Dies From Accident

January 17, RICHMOND, TX - 19 year old Jonathan Kokel, a Pizza Hut delivery driver, who was injured when his car went off the road and into a lake on Jan. 13, has died of complications due to near drowning. He was rescued from his car by a co-worker who saw the accident. Both teens worked for Pizza Hut in Katy.


Truck Driver Crushed in Accident

January 17, JESUP, IA - 54 year old Steven Rasey from Whitewater, WI, an employee for Wisconsin Plastic Drain Tile in Jefferson, was killed Monday morning in a bizarre accident on an Iowa farm when he tried to free his stuck semi-trailer using a skid loader and got caught between the two, authorities reported.


Trucker Dies When Train Hits Rig

January 17, MIDDLESEX, NJ - 64 year old Terry Hermort of Cumru Township, PA was killed in a crash of his truck with a freight train. Hermot was crossing a Norfolk Southern track when his truck was struck by a westbound train which pushed the truck's cab into a guide pole, police said. Mermot later died at the hospital.


Employee Dies of Natural Causes at Work

January 17, ALBANY, GA - 54 year old Lloyd Reed Graham, a 30 year employee for Miller-Coors, was found unresponsive and not breathing at his computer by another employee. Officials believe he died from natural causes but still intend to investigate.



Officer Dies in Shoot Out With Suspects

January 17, SOUTHFIELD, MI - 48 year old Livonia Police Officer Larry Nehasil was shot to death Monday night in an exchange of gunfire with two burglary suspects, one of whom also died, the Livonia police chief says. The two suspects were found trying to break into a home and when police tried to take them into custody, gunfire erupted.





Construction Worker Crushed to Death

January 17, HIGHLAND HILLS, OH - 45 year old Craig Mackovjek of Broadview Heights, was killed Monday in an industrial accident. After initial reports that he fell, Fire Chief Art Timmons said Mackovjek was working on a beam when he was crushed to death between the beam and lift. Mackovjek was employed by Berkshire Construction Co.


EMT Found Dead in Squad Building Driveway

January 16, RIVER EDGE, NJ - 37 year old Matthew Pellettere, a member of the River Edge Volunteer Ambulance Corp., was found unresponsive in the driveway of the squad building by other squad members. Responding to an emergency call around 9:40 a.m., Pellettere went to the squad building so he could ride with the ambulance, but he missed the rig. The cause of death was not known Sunday, and police said the incident is still under investigation.


Young Farmer Killed in Machinery Accident

January 16, HAYES, NE - 27 year old Jesse Korell, a Hayes Center Volunteer Fireman and former all state defensive end was killed in a farm accident Sunday afternoon after getting caught in a piece of farm machinery. Korell raised and operated his own cattle herd.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Two Semi Crash

January 16, SALEM, VA - 64 year old John Henry Murphy of Columbus, GA was killed when his tractor trailer was hit by another semi who crossed two lanes of oncoming traffic and into his lane near Salem. A man in the sleeper of the semi was taken to the hospital with injuries.


Trucker Dies in Crash During Snow Storm

January 16, WISCONSIN DELLS, WI - 43 year old Peter Ramanand, a trucker from the Bronx, NY, was killed after part of his rig plunged into Mirror Lake near Wisconsin Dells. It was snowing on Monday when their westbound truck went through a bridge on Interstate 90-94 near the Dells. Witnesses said the cab got wedged between two support pillars, while the trailer and its load scattered in the lake below. Ramanand's passenger suffered non-life threatening injuries.


Farmer Crushed Under Hay Bale

January 16, LANCASTER, KS - 58 year old Rick Scholz died when he was crushed under a large round hay bale. The sheriff said Scholz apparently had gotten off the tractor and was trying to put the bale into a cattle feeder. He said the hydraulics on the tractor appeared to have failed, dropping the large bale on the victim.





DOT Worker Killed by Falling Tree

January 16, PRESTON, WA - 66 year old Billy Rhynalds, a 12 year veteran of the Washington State Department of Transportation, has died after being hit by a falling tree during a rain storm. Rhynalds was setting up safety cones to alert motorists to power lines knocked down by the storm when the tree fell on his truck and killed him.




Firefighter Dies During Training Exercise

January 16, SANDOWN, NH - 46 year old Harold Frey of Sandown, had a heart attack during an ice rescue training class. It happened on the Exeter River just before noon. The New Hampshire state fire marshal's office will be conducting an investigation into what happened.


Firefighter Dies at Firehouse

January 15, CHICAGO, IL - 51 year old Lt. Patrick Hannon, a veteran Chicago firefighter died of apparent natural causes after being found unresponsive at his firehouse quarters on the South Side Saturday morning. Lt. Patrick Hannon was given Advanced Life Support care and was taken to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center where he died, according to Fire Media Affairs Dir. Larry Langford.


Construction Worker Found Dead on Work Site

January 15, GALVESTON, TX - 51 year old Christopher John Demangin, an electrician, was found shot to death Friday at a Galveston construction site. His body was found near a house he was helping rebuild at 714 Beluche, Galveston police Cpt. Jeff Heyse said. Police questioned two other construction workers at the site on Friday and at that time had been unable to find a weapon or identify a suspect.


Road Worker Dies After Fall

January 15, PHIL CAMPBELL, AL - 56 year old Charlie Huggins, a senior highways maintenance technician for the Alabama Department of Transportation, has died of injuries he sustained in a fall Jan. 10. During a bad snow storm on Spruce Pine Mountain, he apparently stepped off his grader, slipped and fell. He broke his neck and severed his spinal cord. Huggins leaves behind his wife and other close family.


Accident Kills Construction Worker

January 15, LOUISBURG, NC - 34 year old Ricardo Rios Telles of Princeton died Saturday when he was crushed by an excavator while working to install sewer lines. Telles and another worker were using an excavator to move a section of concrete pipe. Capt. Jason Abbott said the clothing of the co-worker, who was operating the machinery, became entangled in the controls. As a consequence, Telles was crushed between the excavator and the concrete pipe.


Worker Dies in Industrial Accident

January 14, AFFTON, MO - 50 year old Michael Muessig was killed Friday when he was pinned between two Skyjack industrial lift vehicles at a manufacturing facility for Kerry Ingredients and Flavours, officials said. Muessig was rushed to St. John's Mercy Hospital shortly after the 9:30 a.m. incident and was later pronounced dead, officials said.



Officer Dies as Result of Injuries

January 14, DALLAS, TX - In November 1996, Dallas Police Officer Kevin Marceau was attempting to chase down a hit and run driver who was attempting to leave the scene when he was struck by a vehicle and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He remained in a wheelchair and unable to communicate until passing away from complications of the injuries on January 14, 2011. He was 47 years old.


Veteran Officer Dies on Duty

January 14, MATTAPOISETT, MA - 60 year old Officer Paul Silveira died as a result of a brain aneurysm he suffered on Jan 6. He had just returned to the station house on Route 6 when he complained of not feeling well. He collapsed a short while later at the station. He and was immediately administered medical assistance from Mattapoisett EMTs and transported by ambulance to Tobey Hospital in Wareham. Silveira, a 27-year Mattapoisett Police Department veteran, was scheduled to retire in August.


New Jersey Officer Shot to Death

January 14, LAKEWOOD, NJ - Lakewood Police Officer 27 year old Chris Matlosz, of Toms River, was shot three times and killed during a routine stop of a pedestrian for questioning. Matlosz had stopped his patrol car in a residential neighborhood and had started to question a pedestrian when the man pulled out a handgun and opened fire shortly after 4 p.m., said Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch-Ford.



Zoo Animal Handler Dies in Accident

January 14, KNOXVILLE, TN - 33 year old Stephanie James, an employee for the Knoxville Zoo and handler of elephants, was accidentally killed when the elephant she was working with crushed her up against the wall of a stall they were in. The 26-year-old elephant named Edie was not acting aggressively and followed the desperate commands of another handler to move back, zoo officials said. James was rushed to the hospital but later died of her injuries. The elephant will not to punished as it is being viewed as an unfortunate accident.



Worker Killed on Marine Construction Site

January 14, SAVANNAH, GA - 52 year old Greg Royer was killed and another injured in an accident Friday while building a tugboat dock on the Savannah River. Royer was standing on a sea wall when a pylon fell from an excavator, struck and killed him. Royer was an employee of Myrick Marine, the company building the dock off Fig Island Drive, located off the back end of the Hutchinson Island race track.



Officer Dies After Collapse During Training

January 13, CORAL SPRINGS, FL - 27 year old Davie Police Officer Rogerio Morales collapsed during training for the department's Special Response Team and later died. Officials believe Morales, who was described as being very physically fit, may have had a heart attack, Davie police Sgt. Greg Gasse said on Friday. Morales collapsed while completing a physical agility test and was given first-aid by a Davie paramedic before paramedics took him to Cleveland Clinic, Gasse said. His death is being considered an in-the-line-of-duty death.


Firefighter Dies of Heart Attack

January 13, DOWNS, KS - 59 year old Jim Niles, Captain for Downs Volunteer Fire Department, suffered a heart attack and died while fighting a garage fire on Thursday afternoon. “He was still operating on scene when he was found to be unresponsive,” Kansas State Firefighters Association President Andy Moffitt said. “He was taken over to the Osborne County Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced.”


Farmer Killed in Accident

January 13, WICHITA FALLS, TX - 59 year old Jim Avis was killed when his tractor hit a high spot in the ground and he was thrown forward out of his seat. He was crushed by the moving tractor. Paramedics were called by family members and was pronounced at the scene.



Business Owner Dies in Fall

January 11, LODI, WI - 57 year old Mark Slack, co-owner of Slack's Jelly Farm, died after he fell 15 feet through a trap door while moving antiques from a second-floor storage area at the family business, just south of Lake Wisconsin and northwest of Lodi. The antiques, once a larger part of the business, were being moved to prepare for an auction, said his mother and co-owner, Ethel Slack.

While our blog is a list of worker fatalities to honor the victims and bring about awareness to this problem in our country, we also thought it was appropriate to highlight some good news in the arena of safety in the work place:
Worker Falls From High-Rise Building, But SAVED by His Safety Harness.
Worker Rescued After Dangling Six Stories Above the Ground-Saved by Safety Equipment


Accident Involving Two Semi's Causes One Death

January 13, INDIANAPOLIS, IN - 60 year old Steve Woolsey, a truck driver from Warrensburg, IL, was killed when his semi-truck rear-ended another semi that had been parked on the shoulder. Woosley was wearing a seatbelt but was killed when the cab was crushed upon impact, police said.


Truck Driver Dies When Rig Overturns

January 13, VINCENNES, IN - 62 year old Johnny W. Norman of Covington, GA was killed when his semi overturned on U.S. 41 near U.S. 50 about 1:59 a.m. For an undetermined reason, he went off the right shoulder, re-entered the highway, went off the left shoulder and then overturned.


Victim of Accidental Shooting Dies

January 13, GADSDEN, AL - 23 year old John Smith IV of Gadsden was accidentally shot at a pawn shop on US 280 and later died at the hospital. The coroner reports Smith was an employee of the shop.


Commercial Truck Driver Dies Chaining Up Rig

January 12, SANTIAM PASS, OR - 46 year old Kevin Lee Meling of Molalla died Wednesday morning from a possible heart attack while chaining up a commercial truck near Santiam Pass, according to a press release. A passing motorist noticed a man laying in the snow beside his truck and when police arrived they found Meling. EMT worked to revive Meling but were unsuccessful.


Volunteer Firefighter Dies After Training Exercise

January 12, HAMBURG, NY - 26 year old Jarrett Eleam, a firefighter for Big Tree Volunteer Fire Company, died Wednesday evening in the hospital after becoming ill during a training exercise Monday night. Eleam is the first member in the 74-year history of Big Tree to die in the line of duty. A cause of death has not been released, and Hughes said the state Labor Department is looking into the death.


Worker Killed in Snow Removal Incident

January 12, N.BRUNSWICK, NJ - 47 year old Thomas Serinese of Burlington was killed Wednesday as he was clearing snow from a flat bed tow truck. Police say Serinese and another employee at Coppa's Towing in North Brunswick had raised the flatbed so snow would slide off. The other worker hit the controls to lower the flatbed, not noticing that Serinese apparently had bent over the truck's chassis on the opposite side. He was crushed between the flatbed and the truck's large toolbox.


Truck Driver Falls to Death

January 12, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA - 63 year old Larry Hughes slipped and fell to his death while making a delivery at a dairy packaging facility. Initial reports indicated Hughes was attempting to climb down from the top of a stainless steel tanker truck when he slipped off the ladder and fell to the asphalt below, Department of Industrial Relations spokeswoman Krisann Chasarik said. Hughes drove tanker trucks for Bulk Transportation and was delivering chemicals to the facility when he died, according to a statement from WhiteWave Foods.


Semi Driver Dies in Collision With Train

January 12, DUNKIRK, NY - 51 year old Randolph Todd of Sheppard, TX was killed when he drove his semi around rail crossing gates and was hit by a passenger train. Todd was driving a truck owned by Lew Thompson & Son of Huntsville, AR and he was heading to the Nestle Purina plant on Middle Road to make a delivery, police said.


Taxi Driver Found Dead Near Cab

January 12, ORLANDO, FL - 42 year old Nelvil Joseph was found dead just feet from his crashed cab. Investigators did not say how he was killed, but residents of the Governor's Manor Apartments said they had heard gunshots sometime around 1:30 a.m. His body was found in front of a dumpster behind the complex.


University Director Killed in Collision

January 11, BUCYRUS, OH - 52 year old Daniel M. Gorman, Director of Athletic Training for University of Mount Union, was killed when the team bus he was on collided with a snow plow. The bus driver attempted to pass a snow plow going the same direction when a wing blade on the right side of the plow cut into the left side of the bus. The team and staff were returning from a wrestling match at another university.


Construction Worker Dies of Head Injury

January 11, EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - 40 year old Michael Testa of Brick, died of head injuries suffered when he fell from the roof of a building under construction at the Summerhill Square retail complex on Route 18 South. He later died at the hospital. Testa was an employee of Lunar Steel of North Brunswick, police said.


Grove Worker Killed by Equipment

January 11, ARCADIA, FL - 24 year old Inocencio Morales-Chalma was killed while working in a rural orange grove in Charlotte County Tuesday. According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Morales-Chalma was run over by a vehicle called a “grove goat” and killed instantly at a grove in the 46000 block of Neal Road in a rural section of the county. The case is being classified as an industrial death.


Video Store Clerk Shot to Death

January 10, KILGORE, TX - 25 year old Renee Garrett was shot and killed at the video store where she worked Monday night. Garrett called her manager about a questionable customer, who in turn called police, but police found her already dead when they arrived to check on her. Police are continuing an investigation.


Deli Clerk Shot Trying to Flee Robbers

January 10, STEELTON, PA - 47 year old Florentino Lopez was shot and killed while trying to flee from his attackers at Gino's Mini Mart. Steelton Mayor Tom Acri said a witness outside watched as the suspect, described only as a teenage male, entered the store and pulled a gun on the clerk. After the shooting, the shooter slammed his fist against the counter and ran from the store, Acri said.


Crop Duster Dies in Plane Crash

January 10, SACRAMENTO, CA - 58 year old Stephen Allen of Courtland, a pilot for Alexander Ag Flying Services, died when his crop dusting plane crashed on Webb Tract
Island in Contra Costa County Monday morning. The sheriff's office received reports that a crop duster hit a pole or tower on the remote island, which is just north of Bethel Island, Sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee said.


Wall Collapse Kills Construction Worker

January 10, QUEENS, NY - 27 year old Hedilberto Sanchez was killed when cinder blocks from a collapsed wall rained down on scaffolding which also collapsed under the weight and on to him. Workers were pouring concrete into the cinder block wall when the accident happened. Three other workers were injured. H Rock Contractors have the permit to build on the site.


Worker Found Dead Inside Tanker Trailer

January 10, ST. GABRIEL, LA - an unidentified man was found dead inside a trailer filled with nitrogen fumes. St. Gabriel Police had been called out around 3:45 p.m. Monday to Quality Carriers on LA Highway 30. The victim was taken to a Baton Rouge hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Investigators are trying to determine how the individual came to be inside the trailer.


Firefighter Dies of Cancer Related to 9/11

January 9, WARWICK, NY - 51 year old Roy W. Chelson, a member of Engine Company 28 and involved in the rescue attempts after the terror attacks in New York died Sunday in what is being called a work related cancer. Chelsen first got sick about five years ago. He died after a five-year battle with multiple myeloma, a cancer that the New York Fire Department, his relatives and others consider to have been linked to his service on 9/11 — and his work in the ensuing weeks searching the rubble for lost colleagues.


Man Electrocuted in Workplace Accident

January 9, ELLISVILLE, MS - 29 year old Benjamin Edward Spoon, an electronics technician for Howard Industries Substation Division, was testing electrical transformers about 1 p.m. Sunday when he was believed to have been electrocuted, authorities reported. The circumstances surrounding Spoon's death is still under investigation.


Tragedy in Arizona

January 8, TUCSON, AZ - 30 year old Gabriel Zimmerman, Community Outreach Director for AZ Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was shot and killed while attending an event with the Congresswoman on Saturday. He was one of six people killed in this tragedy where a deranged gunman opened fire on the "Congress on Your Corner" event that he arranged for Giffords. Zimmerman was recently engaged and had a passion for social work. Giffords remains in the hospital. The gunman was quickly captured and jailed.


Oil Rig Worker Dies After Fall

January 8, MINOT, ND - 28 year old Adam Roscoe of Minot died Saturday as the result of a fall at an oil rig site near McGregor, a Williams County Sheriff’s official said. Roscoe was an employee of Cyclone Drilling. The company has offices in North Dakota and is based out of Gillette, Wyo.


Undercover Officer Shot by Mistake

January 8, BALTIMORE, MD - 33 year old Officer William H. Torbitt was shot and killed in an incident at a nightclub. Torbitt was responding to a call at the nightclub and tried to break up a fight between several females when a number of men started to attack him. Torbitt pulled his gun and started firing to fend off the attack. When other officers saw Torbitt firing, they opened fire without realizing he was a police officer, thinking they were stopping an unknown gunman. It appears Torbitt was killed by friendly fire, police said.


Farmer Pinned Under Hay Bale

January 8, GREENSBURG, IN - 63 year old John Bennett died over the weekend in southeastern Indiana after being pinned beneath a round bale of hay he and another person were moving. Sheriff deputies arrived to find him under a large hay bale without a pulse. Decatur County Coroner Charity Banks ruled Bennett died of traumatic cardiac and respiratory arrest caused by blunt force trauma.


Medical Emergency Causes Driver to Crash

January 7, SPRINGDALE, AR - 33 year old Scottie Griggs of Prairie Grove died when an unknown medical emergency caused him to become unconscious and then veer off the road into a house. He was driving a garbage truck for his employer Waster Management.


Firefighter Mourned

January 7, KANSAS CITY, MO - 54 year old Richard Paul, a member of the Kansas City Fire Department as a fire apparatus operator, suffered a medical emergency Friday morning during his annual KCFD physical. He was treated at the scene and transported to a local hospital, where he died.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash

January 6, LOUISVILLE, KY - 46 year old Royce "John" Baumgardner of Piketon, OH died when another semi trying to avoid hitting a car swerved to avoid hitting it, and then overcorrected, causing the truck to break through a cable barrier into the southbound lanes, where it slammed into another tractor-trailer driven by Baumgardner.


School Bus Driver Dies in Accident

January 5, THOMSON, GA - 38 year old Jennifer Beckum died on a dirt road after being thrown out the door of her bus Wednesday afternoon. Beckum lost control of the bus while rounding a curve. It then struck an embankment, which knocked her out of the door, and landed in a ditch. Students were riding on the bus but there were only minor injuries. One of the injured students was Beckum's son Preston.


Rig Worker Killed in Accident

January 5, PINEDALE, WY - 42 year old Kyle Rooke of Driggs, ID was killed when a pipe exploded at a drilling rig outside Pinedale. Sheriff's officials say Rooke was severely burned. Sheriff's and Wyoming state workers' safety officials are investigating.


Business Owner Dies in Plane Crash

January 5, PELHAM, AL - 59 year old Gene Scott, owner of Pee Wee's Pawn Shop, was killed when the plane he was piloting crashed in a neighborhood near Birmingham. No report of distress was received by the tower before the plane went down.


Fire Captain Dies of Work Related Cancer

January 3, ALAMEDA, CA - 42 year old Alameda Fire Captain Scott Carnevale died of work-related cancer Monday, a spokesman for the firefighters union said. He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in March, a consequence of continual exposure to harmful smoke, soot and fumes. Carnevale lived with his family in Mill Valley and is survived by his wife and 8-year-old son.

Dump Truck Driver Struck by Car

January 6, YORKTOWN, VA - 55 year old Ralph "Benny" Newman Jr. was struck and killed by a car Thursday morning while he stood on the side of the road, officials said. Newman was driving a dump truck in the 9300 block of Pocahontas Trail when he pulled off onto the shoulder of the roadway and exited the vehicle when the driver of a car sideswiped the dump truck and struck Newman.


Recycling Worker Dies at Facility

January 6, EAST POINT, GA - 19 year old Eric Hilario-Martinez, an employee for Newell Recycling, was found dead after emergency workers responded to a call at the facility and found a front end loader in flames. Hilario-Martinez was found severely burned after the flames were extinguished. The cause of the fire is under investigation.


Station Assistant Manager Shot and Killed

January 6, OMAHA, NE - 54 year old Milton E. Jackson was shot and killed Thursday at the Shell Rapid Lube business where he worked. Omaha police have not said whether the shooting was the result of an attempted robbery or something else. The suspect fled after walking into the business and shooting Jackson.


Tree Trimmer Dies From Fall

January 5, BREMERTON, WA - 28 year old Aaron B. Waag of Hansville died when his safety harness malfunctioned or somehow detached from the boom crane he was on, causing him to fall some 70 to 100 feet down onto a concrete walkway on Wednesday. He was trying to reach the limb of a large fir tree when he fell. Waag was a member of Waag Tree Service, a family-owned business based in Poulsbo.


School Vice Principle Killed by Angry Student

January 5, OMAHA, NE - 58 year old Vice Principle Vicki Kaspar was shot and killed and the principle for Millard South High School was injured when an angry student entered the school and opened fire on the administrative staff. He targeted Kasper and the principle in the shooting. After the shooting, the student fatally shot himself in his car.


Worker Crushed Under Heavy Bale of Clothing

January 5, SEATTLE, WA - 63 year old Trinidad Ruiz died from crushing injuries to her head, body and extremities, according to the King County Medical Examiner's Office when a bale of clothing fell onto her. She worked for Buffalo Exports. Her death has been ruled an accident.


Company Officials Die in Plane Crash

January 5, MIDLOTHIAN, TX - 58 year old Stephen Vannais of Mooresville, NC and 40 year old James Polewchak of Midlothian were killed Wednesday in a plane crash. Vannais was a wire/cable representative for Davis-Standard LLC of Pawcatuck, CT and Vannais was the President for JP Industrial that supply products to the plastics industry. Witnesses said the plane had just taken off, and had banked hard left and then crashed into some trees.


Worker Dies in Confined Space

January 5, SALEM LAKE, NC - 62 year old Herman Wilson died Wednesday after he and two other workers were overcome by fumes while replacing old water valves at Salem Lake. The crew worked for J. Ramey Copnstruction Inc and were contracted through the city to repair the raw water pipeline between Salem Lake and the Thomas Water Treatment Plant.


University Employee Dies After Fall

January 5, SEARCY, AR - 61 year old Teddy Joe Pike, a longtime physical resources employee for Harding University, died Wednesday after falling from the rooftop of the Mabee business building Tuesday morning. Pike was installing heating and air equipment on an addition to the building when he fell and landed on the second story’s concrete floor.


Ammunition's Plant Explosion Kills Worker

January 5, OAKLAND, TN - 34 year old Murray Clifford Davis Jr., an employee of the Kinematics Research ammunition's plant, was killed in a fire and explosion and fire at the plant. Davis is the only employee missing after the fire, but his body has not positively been identified through dental records. The plant makes shells for pistols and rifles. "The scene is still actively being worked," said Eric Kehn, a spokesman for the ATF in Nashville.


Police Chief Killed in Scuffle

January 5, RAINIER, OR - Rainier Police Chief Ralph Painter was shot and killed by a suspect he was struggling with. Columbia County deputies stated "the officer made contact with the suspect at a car stereo store and a struggle ensued. Painter was wounded with a gunshot and later was pronounced dead." Police think the suspect's aim was to steal a car.


Deputy Dies of Injuries Suffered in Car Crash

January 4, RICHMOND, TX - 39 year old John Norsworthy, Deputy with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department, died Tuesday from his injuries after he crashed his squad car December 27, possibly to avoid a vehicle that failed to yield to his emergency lights and siren. The deputy was responding with his lights flashing and siren blaring to assist another deputy conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle with suspected stolen parts, officials said. His squad car flipped and pinned him for more than an hour.


Bar Employee Shot Trying to Break Up Fight

January 4, LAKEWOOD, CO - 33 year old Jose Beltran-Galindo, an employee for El Torito Bar & Grill, was shot and killed as he escorted two male customers outside after some sort of fight in the bar, according to police. Police have issued a warrant for the suspect believed to have shot Beltran-Galindo.


Fisherman on Lobster Boat Dies

January 4, HARPSWELL, ME - 68 year old Jerry Wallace, a stern man on a Harpswell lobster boat, stopped breathing while fishing Tuesday morning and died later in the day. Sheriff’s deputies and a Cundy’s Harbor Rescue ambulance met the boat and took Wallace to Mid Coast Hospital, performing life-saving measures — which were unsuccessful — en route.


Delivery Driver Killed When Truck Hit by Train

January 4, DAYTON, TN - 52 year old Terrell Hampton of Soddy-Daisy, a UPS delivery driver, was killed when his truck was hit by a southbound Norfolk Southern train Tuesday afternoon, a Tennessee Highway Patrol incident report shows. When Hampton pulled onto the railroad tracks that didn’t have crossing arms, the train struck the truck on the driver’s side, the report shows.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash

January 4, TOWSON, MD - 39 year old Russell William Lewis of Baltimore died in a fiery crash when his rig crashed through a barrier and then into an unoccupied van. Troopers are trying to determine whether Lewis suffered a medical emergency or fell asleep prior to the collision. Troopers do not believe alcohol or speed were a factor in the collision.


Worker Dies in Trench Collapse Working on Bridge

January 4, ALLENTOWN, PA - 20 year old Michael J. Wilson, of Downington, died Tuesday while working on the Linden Street Bridge. According to Assistant Fire Chief Lee Laubach, the embankment along Jordan Creek collapsed onto the victims. Wilson and his co-worker, who was rescued, were in a 6 foot trench when it collapsed and buried them. Both men were part of a crew working for J.D. Eckman Inc., a bridge construction company from Chester County.


Firefighter Dies in Crash Responding to Call

January 3, SHAPLEIGH, ME - 58 year old David E. Remington of Acton, a firefighter for the Shapleigh Fire Dept., was killed Monday night in a crash while responding to a rescue call. Remington was headed to a call on Owls Nest Road at 10 p.m. when he lost control of his 2005 Chevrolet pickup on Shapleigh Corner Road about one mile from Route 109. The truck rolled over and he was ejected, according to the York County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating the crash.


Teacher's Aide Died Saving Student

January 3, BOURBONNAIS, IL - 46 year old Thomas "Jim" Dunn, a teacher's aide for Camelot Therapeutic Day School, died when he was hit by a bus protecting a beloved autistic student. Dunn and his student were returning from a daily trip across the street to get a soda when a city bus approached. Dunn instinctively pushed the student out of the way and was hit. He died a short time later.


Construction Worker Killed in Wall Collapse

January 3, WINONA, MN - 52 year old William Abts of Fountain City, WI was killed in an eastern Minnesota construction accident when he was crushed during demolition work. Abts was cutting rebar in the wall with a torch when a large piece of concrete fell on him, said police. He was working with a partner at the time of the accident.


Young Mother Dies in Farming Accident

January 3, VALDOSA, GA - 35 year old Amy Blackledge died Monday in an accident involving a farm tractor. Mrs. Blackledge was trying to pull her husband James' tractor, which had stalled in the field, when the tractor she was driving turned over. She became pinned under the tractor and died of crushing injuries. She leaves behind her husband and her 9 month old child.


Night Club Bouncer Killed in Fight

January 1, PORTLAND, OR - 32 year old Ruben Mata, an employee for Club 915, was shot and killed in a fight that started inside the club and moved to the street outside. Witnesses say it started as a fight on an upper floor of the club, which was packed with New Years revelers. Bouncers herded two fighting groups outside, where the brawl resumed and escalated until gunshots rang out.


Deputy Sheriff Shot and Killed

January 1, SPRINGFIELD, OH - 40 year old Deputy Suzanne Hooper, from the Clark County Sheriff Dept., was shot and killed Saturday as she tried to photograph a footprint in the Enon Beach mobile-home park in western Ohio, Sheriff Kelly said. Police officers were trying to talk to the shooting suspect when he fired on them from inside a trailer. What began with a sheriff's deputy investigating a report of gunfire at a trailer park ended in the deadly shooting, where the suspect was also killed.


Hospital Employee Victim of Homicide

January 1, BETHESDA, MD - 40 year old Roosevelt Brockington Jr. of Lusby, Lead Engineer for Plan Operations at Suburban Hospital, was found stabbed to death in a non patient area of the hospital. Detectives believe that it is more likely that this was not a random act of violence. The motive for the murder remains under investigation.


Mechanic Killed While Working on Semi

December 31, DADE CITY, FL - 28 year old Jorge Rameriz, a mechanic for Contreras Brother's Trucking Co. was killed instantly when he was working under a semi-tractor trailer that somehow gave way and rolled over him. The preliminary investigation shows the incident appears to be accidental.


Maintenance Worker Killed in Fall

December 31, KOKOMO, IN - 61 year old Claude Brock Jr., a maintenance technician for the Chrysler Group's Casting Plant, died when he apparently stepped over a guardrail and fell to his death. Michelle Ellison, director of the INSafe division of the Department of Labor said “... We’re not positive what he specifically was doing or trying to reach for.”


Antique Store Owner Killed in Robbery

December 31, ENGLEWOOD, FL - 64 year old Jeffrey Mazur, owner of Antiques Plus, was the victim of a robbery on Dec 29. He died of his injuries Friday. The man suspected of committing the crime has been arrested in Mr. Mazur's murder.


Fire Chief Dies On Duty

December 31, ATHENS, MI - 68 year old Chief Thomas Gordon Hardy, of the Athens Fire Department, collapsed and died while he was cleaning equipment after a fire Christmas Eve. Other firemen heard him fall and ran to where he was working and began CPR. He had been in a coma for the past week until he was pronounced dead on Friday.


Industrial Accident Causes Death at Lumber Company

December 31, VANCE, AL - 22 year old Fernando DeLeon Ixcoy was killed by a log that struck him after it fell from a bark-stripping machine, said Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit commander Capt. Loyd Baker. The accident occurred at Ky-KenKee Inc., a timber company on U.S. Highway 11. His death is being further investigated.


Firefighter Dies of Work Related Cancer

December 30, WOODINVILLE, WA - 45 year old Matthew Durham died of a duty related cancer. It's the first line-of-duty death for Woodinville Fire and Rescue. Cancer is a presumptive disease in firefighters but his esophageal cancer wasn't one of them. Jacobs was forced to prove his illness was job related to get workers' compensation so poured over 650 records of fires he worked. Jacobs' work helped get legislation that's made esophageal cancer one of the cancer forms assumed to be job related in Washington.


Mother Stabbed to Death Where She Worked

December 30, ATLANTA, GA - 25 year old Kejuan Charde Hall was working at the Golden Pantry Convenience store when she was found in a back office stabbed to death. Two people were seen in the store, thought to be cleaning, when another customer went into the restroom. When he came out the lights were off. That customer and another man looked around the dark store for an employee and came upon Hall's body in the back office, police said. Hall leaves behind an 8 year old daughter and was two months pregnant.


Worker Killed in Forklift Accident

December 30, SUFFOLK, VA - 35 year old David Arthur Blutz was killed Thursday when a forklift/front-loader backed over him. The accident occurred at McKinney's Auto Parts.


Tractor Trailer Crash Kills One

December 29, ELLABELL, GA - 53 year old Charles Gary Moore of Ellabell was killed when the tractor trailer he was riding in overturned in South Carolina. He was ejected from the truck's sleeper compartment as it overturned. The driver was treated at a local hospital.


School Vice Principle Shot to Death by Student

January 5, OMAHA, NE - 58 year old Vice Principle Vicki Kaspar was shot and killed and the principle of Millard South High School was injured when an angry student opened fire on the administrative staff of the school. The student aimed for the principle and vice principle. The student then went to his car and killed himself.


Worker Crushed Under Heavy Bale of Clothing

January 5, SEATTLE, WA - 63 year old Trinidad Ruiz died from crushing injuries to her head, body and extremities, according to the King County Medical Examiner's Office when a bale of clothing fell onto her. She worked for Buffalo Exports. Her death has been ruled an accident.


Death From November Just Found

November 5, ST. JOSEPH, MO - Rory Griggs was killed when he was pinned between two trucks in the parking lot at MFA, Inc. while working for Deshon Brothers Inc. Court documents claim the accident occurred because Deshon hit truck's gas pedal rather than the brake and was not paying attention.