Weekly Toll

Construction Worker Falls From Scaffold

March 24, MARRIOTT-SLATERVILLE, UT - 34 year old Jeremiah Millner of Herriman died in an industrial accident Thursday morning when he fell from a scaffolding system, officials say. Millner was working as a mason for AK Masonry at a construction site at the Central Weber Sewer Facility. It is unknown what caused Millner to fall 50 to 60 feet from the scaffolding. He died after being transported to McKay-Dee Hospital.


Worker Killed in Explosion and Fire

March 23, W. SPRINGFIELD, MA - 33 year old Daniel Martinez was killed and another worker injured in an explosion at a local car dealership. The explosion reportedly occurred as Martinez used a lighter to look inside a drum of flammable solvent. Martinez worked for Real Clean Automotive Detailing, a subcontractor that performs reconditioning work at Balise Honda.



Worker Dies After Being Electrocuted

March 23, COLERAIN TWP, OH - 30 year old David McCarthy of Fairfield was killed and a co-worker injured when they were accidentally electrocuted while working to replace siding on a home. Macarthy was attempting to erect metal scaffolding at a home on Regal Lane when high winds blew a metal pole into a 7200-volt power line. The men worked for A.E. Vinyl Siding of Cincinnati.


Worker Drowns in Bay St. Louis

March 23, BAY ST. LOUIS, MS - 25 year old Jeremy M. Boyd died Wednesday after falling into a canal behind a home he was working on. MS Marine Patrol officers recovered his body in the water about 20 feet from where he was completing electrical work on a private pier. He’d been sitting in a skiff alongside the pier, a fire spokesman said. Other causes of death besides drowning could not be ruled out as his co-workers say he was diabetic. They said they left him for about 5 minutes and when they returned he was gone.


Tragic Accident Claims Life of Business Owner

March 22, OLD LYME, CT - 58 year old Thomas Lomas, owner of Lomas Tree Service, was tragically killed when he was hit by a wood chipped being towed by a truck driven by his son. The men were doing tree trimming work on private property when the truck was backed up and hit Mr. Lomas. Connecticut State Police are investigating the accident with the help of OSHA.



Officer Gunned Down by Suspect

March 22, ATHENS, GA - Athens-Clarke County Officer Elmer "Buddy" Christian was shot and killed and another officer injured while trying to stop a carjacking suspect. Police know who their shooter is and a massive manhunt is underway.




Construction Accident Kills Worker

March 22, MARIETTA, GA - D.R. Abernathy was killed at a construction site Tuesday afternoon. Family friends said Abernathy was trapped between a backhoe and another piece of equipment. Police said the accident happened at an area under construction at Kennestone Hospital on Tower Road in Marietta. No other information has been released.



DOT Worker on Backhoe Falls Into Swollen River, Drowns

March 22, ST. PETER, MN - 39 year old Michael Struck of Cleveland drowned while working with a backhoe along Seven Mile Creek. Struck had been operating a backhoe in an attempt to clear out flood debris when the machine tipped and he and the machine fell into the creek before noon Tuesday. Struck had worked for the Mankato MnDOT district office for nine years.


Waste Management Worker Dies in Accident With Vehicle

March 21, CARLSBAD, CA - Pablo Virgen, a garbage truck driver for Waste Management died in an accident Monday. He reportedly fell out of his truck and was run over by it. Virgen suffered upper torso injuries and died at the scene.



Worker Killed as Result of Explosion

March 21, LOUISVILLE, KY - 59 year old Steven Nichols of Charlestown, IN was killed and two other injured from an explosion at Carbide Industries in Rubbertown. Nichols died as a result of 3rd degree burns to 90 percent of his body. The explosion occurred where calcium carbide is refined, and when an enormous 3800 degree furnace exploded, it threw a lot of this very hot material out over a long, broad area. Family & friends talk about the victims.



Second Worker Dies as Result of Explosion

March 22, LOUISVILLE, KY - 56 year old Jorge Medina was the second victim to die as the result of an explosion at Carbide Industries in Rubbertown. He died as a result of 3rd degree burns over 90% of his body. A huge furnace exploded which threw out calcium carbide over a large area burning the two victims. Two other employees were treated and released from the hospital. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is being handled by OSHA. Family & friends talk about the victims.


Man Killed Working at Airport

March 21, LAUREL, MS - 22 year old Zachary Taylor of Quitman was electrocuted Monday afternoon while working on runway lights at the Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport (formally Pine Belt Regional Airport). Taylor worked for a private contractor hired to work on the lights.


Police Officer Shot and Killed by Suspect

March 20, FOND DU LAC, WI - 28 year old Officer Craig Birkholz was shot and killed by a suspect Sunday. According to authorities, Fond du Lac police were investigating a report of sexual assault at a home when an armed man opened fire on them, shooting Officer Birkholz in the chest and killing him. A K-9 Officer and his partner were also wounded but expected to survive. The suspect committed suicide after holding other officers off for 6 hours.


Hospital Worker Found Dead, Anesthetic Suspected

March 20, PITTSBURG, PA - 29 year old Samuel William Parks of McDonald, a night shift worker for Washington County Hospital, died after apparently inhaling an anesthetic drug, officials said yesterday. He was found in a maintenance closet after family reported that he did not come home from work. Police found a bottle of inhalant anesthesia on the floor by the body, police said. Parks did security and housekeeping work at the hospital.



Cab Driver Found Shot Dead Behind Wheel

March 20, LEXINGTON, KY - 28 year old Amine Lemghaili, an employee for Yellow Cab, was found dead behind the wheel of his cab Sunday. A witness reports hearing shots in the night and the next morning she and a friend found Lemghaili. He was still in the driver's seat of his cab, which had been driven over a curb in a parking lot.


Worker Injured on Construction Site Dies

March 19, SANTA FE, TX - 21 year old Richard Steinecke of New Caney, one of three workers injured Friday by steel beams that collapsed at a school auditorium under construction has died, police said. Steinecke was tied to one beam that was tied to another, which broke loose, causing him to fall about 50 feet. Firefighters found Steinecke on a concrete surface with a 12-foot-long steel column on top of him. Police used a crane at the construction site to lift the beam a few inches to free Steinecke. The crew worked for P&C Construction Erectors.


Man Dies in Industrial Accident at Gas Well Site

March 19, BEAUMONT, TX - 40 year old Scottie Burnett of Dodson, LA was killed after being pinned between two pieces of industrial equipment, according to a news release from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Upon arrival, officials found Burns pinned between two pieces of equipment that workers were attempting to erect at the gas well site.


Private Club Worker Shot When Fight Breaks Out

March 19, AUGUSTA, GA - 19 year old James S. Gillette, an employee for a private Columbia County facility, was shot and killed after a fight broke out during a birthday party being held at the club. Patrons had been asked to leave because of the fighting but were being allowed back inside when shots were fired, police said. One of them hit Gillette, who collapsed just outside the building's front door, he said. Gillette had worked for the facility for about two months.


Officer Dies in Shoot Out

March 19, SANDUSKY, OH - Officer Andrew Dunn was killed in an exchange of gunfire with a suspect early today. Dunn approached a man on a bicycle as he rode down the street. For as yet unknown reasons, an exchange of gun shots broke out in which Dunn suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Dunn is married and has two young children, including a 5-month-old.


Truck Driver Killed When Truck Flips

March 18, COLUMBIA, KY - 49 year old Randall Caudill died when his truck flipped after blowing a tire. The truck flipped several times before coming to a rest on the driver's side. Police said Caudill was not wearing a seat belt and was partially ejected from the truck, landing underneath the cab. Caudill's truck had just loaded up with milk in Somerset. He was delivering for Flav-O-Rich.


Highway Flagman Hit and Killed by Truck

March 18, DEVILLE, LA - 60 year old Calvin L. Towle of Alexandria was killed Friday when he was hit by a dump truck. The truck was backing eastbound on the westbound shoulder, unloading shoulder material. Towle, a flagman, was behind the International and failed to notice the vehicle backing, and he was hit by the truck, police said.




Restaurant Worker Shot During Robbery

March 18, FREDERICK, MD - 32 year old Jacinta Ayala was shot and killed this morning in what appears to be a robbery attempt. Ayala was in the process of opening the store when the shooting occurred and was found by fellow employees arriving for work, Pennington said. Fellow employees performed CPR on the woman until emergency personnel arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.


Cab Driver Dies of Shooting Injuries

March 18, WILMINGTON, DE - 51 year old Nahum Dalmace of New Castle was shot and injured on March 5 in an attempted robbery. Dalmace lingered in critical condition in the intensive care unit for three weeks prior to his death today. Police were able to arrest two suspects who have been charged in Dalmace's death.


Worker Killed by Hydraulic Truck Bed

March 18, TOMS RIVER, NJ - 53 year old Joseph Cisco, a public works employee, died Friday when the hydraulic bed of a box truck he was unloading fell on him, police said. He suffered a head injury and died at the scene. The circumstances of the incident were unclear. Cisco, who was working the truck alone, was found near the hydraulic lift, and the vehicle he was operating was still running, police said.


Officer Killed While Pursuing Suspects

March 18, CATHEDRAL CITY, CA - 29 year old Officer Jermaine Gibson of Beaumont was killed late Friday night when he lost control of his patrol car and crashed while chasing two men in a stolen vehicle, authorities said Saturday. His car burst into flames after striking a palm tree and two fellow officers pulled him from the wreckage. Before his death, Gibson was chasing a stolen Ford Mustang that also crashed and caught fire. Gibson was the father of a 4 week old son, had served two tours of duty in the Iraq War and was awarded the Purple Heart.


Truck Driver Dies in Crash

March 18, SAN LEANDRO, CA - 54 year old John Jurevich of Turlock died Friday morning when the big-rig he was driving struck a tree and overturned on a freeway connector ramp. The cause of the crash is the subject of an "extensive investigation," the results of which are not expected for a couple of days, according to the California Highway Patrol.



City Worker Dies in Fall From Building

March 17, COSTA MESA, CA - 29 year old Huy Pham of Fountain Valley died Thursday from a fall. Pham, who had been on medical leave, was called to the City Hall building to get his lay off notification. About an hour later he jumped off the building to his death. Pham worked for the city for 4 1/2 years. Two of Pham's co-workers told the OC Register that Pham was not married and did not have children, although he had an extended family he helped support.


Construction Worker Killed in Accident

March 17, FORT KNOX, KY - 37 year old Christopher Bedwell of Cadiz was killed Thursday in an unspecified construction accident. Bedwell worked for Drywall Systems Plus out of Murray, Kentucky. Bedwell was an outside worker who was helping at the Warrior Transition Battalion construction site.




Worker Killed on Construction Site

March 16, WASHINGTON, DC - an unidentified 36 year old female construction worker was killed at the Georgetown University's new science center site. She was operating a forklift-like piece of equipment known as a lift platform when she became pinned on an elevated surface between scaffolding and an overhead railing. She worked for Cleveland Construction Company, a subcontractor of Whiting-Turner Construction.



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Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Fiery Wreck

March 16, HATTIESBURG, MS - 46 year old William Packett of Foxworth was killed in a three vehicle crash on Wednesday in Hattiesburg. Packett was transporting utility poles on his tractor-trailer when the accident occurred. Hattiesburg police spokesman Sgt. Allen Murray said the accident also involved a Ford Ranger and a milk transport tanker. Packett’s vehicle caught on fire following the collision.


Taxi Driver and Passenger Killed in Crash

March 16, CINCINNATI, OH - 33 year old Mohamed Ould Mohamed Sidi, along with a passenger, were killed in a "spectacular" crash with an SUV on Wednesday. Surveillance video of the crash showed the sport utility vehicle clipping a car, then going airborne into the taxi, resulting in a flash of light upon impact. The SUV had sped off from a traffic stop, fleeing from officers at speeds estimated at least 60 mph, police said. Police followed proper procedures during the pursuit, observing traffic signals and stop signs, Chief Streicher said.



Cab Driver Shot, Killed While Working

March 16, PETERSBURG, VA - 36 year old Raphael Cudjoe, a taxi driver, was shot and killed Wednesday night. The company owner and a co-worker said Cudjoe had just returned to work after two taxi cab drivers in the city had been robbed. He took some time off to cool down, and had just returned to work. Police are still searching for a suspect.



Man Dies When Floor Collapses Under Forklift

March 16, INDIANAPOLIS, IN - 50 year old Alan Beaty of Hendricks County, was killed in an accident involving a forklift on Wednesday. As Beaty was operating an 8,000 lb lift that was carrying containers of vegetable oil when the concrete floor collapsed beneath the machine sending it 14 feet to the basement below. Debris and large drums followed Beaty through the 28-foot-diameter crevice and tumbled on top of him, said Indianapolis Fire Department Capt. Rita Burris.




Man Killed in Accident With Equipment

March 16, SACRAMENTO, CA - 40 year old Zeke Odom was killed in an accident involving an articulated boom and basket today. Odom, an employee of Century Lighting & Electric, raised his articulated boom and basket to work on lights near an overhang at the front of the store. He was moving the basket, with his back to the overhang of the store front, to position himself better and his upper body was crushed when he was pinched between the overhang and a bar in the basket. Cal-OSHA is doing an investigation.


Energy Plant Explosion Kills Worker

March 15, WILMINGTON, NC - 24 year old Cory Rogers, a technician at Progress Energy’s Sutton Plant near Wilmington, N.C., was killed shortly before 9 a.m. following an explosion which occurred at the site. The employee was performing maintenance on one of the plant’s three coal-fired units. The unit was offline at the time. There was no fire associated with the explosion.



Police Officer Killed by Wrong-Way Driver

March 15, SAN ANTONIO, TX - 27 year old Stephanie Brown, an Officer for the San Antonio Police Department, died from a fatal crash on I-35 near McCullough Avenue early Tuesday morning. The officer had just finished a call for a fight and was en route to another assignment when a wrong-way driver collided with her patrol car head-on, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. She was rushed to University Hospital, where efforts to save the three-year veteran were unsuccessful.



Man Dies in Logging Accident

March 15, DESOTO PARISH, LA - 22 year old Brent Welsh of Natchitoches was killed in an incident on the property of International Paper. Police say Welch was driving behind a log truck on the property. When the truck came to a stop, Welch ran into a log hanging off the back of the truck. Police say the log went through the windshield of his truck, killing him.


Worker Dies a Week After Being Injured

March 15, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA - 28 year old Cody Campbell of Starbuck, MN, who was injured while working at the Bunge North America soybean processing plant in Council Bluffs on March 8 has died at the Mayo Clinic in MN. Campbell, who worked for RailWorks Track Systems, was standing near where other crew members were cutting rail when an errant piece of metal struck him, said Kathy Simpson, a RailWorks spokeswoman. “It was like a bullet,” Jay Campbell, Cody's father, said. “It caused him to lose oxygen to the brain. He suffered irreparable brain damage.”



Store Owner Killed in Robbery

March 15, DEARBORN, MI - Jay Shin, owner of Sunrise Beauty Supply, was shot and killed in an armed robbery. A customer who had come to the store notified police about Shin. Approximately 80 hair extensions were stolen from the store. Police said witnesses described two men and a woman involved in the crime. Police have a store video of at least one of the suspects.



Worker Killed in Rigging Accident

March 15, NORTH KINGSTON, RI - 26 year old Andrew Pelletier of Glocester, working for Composite Rigging,was killed in an industrial accident Tuesday. Authorities say Pelletier was working with a cable under tension when the fastener at one end gave way and the cable struck Pelletier in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man suffered minor injuries.


Armored Car Driver Shot and Killed

March 15, ATLANTA, GA - 32 year old Garry Castillo of Lawrenceville was shot and killed Tuesday outside of a local grocery store. Castillo, who had just returned from a tour in Afghanistan, was rushed to the hospital where he later died. Castillo worked for Garda Cash Logistics and leaves behind a 9 year old son. The FBI is investigating and has released surveillance photos in hopes that someone will come forward with information on the men responsible for Castillo's death.



Truck Driver Dies in Accident

March 15, SOUTH CAROLINA - 54 year old Kenneth Dwuane Smith of Waynesville, GA died when his semi overturned on the Back River Bridge. Smith was driving a cement pump truck that struck a curb on the bridge while traveling south on U.S. 17. According to a Highway Patrol spokesman the vehicle overturned and partially burst through a length of concrete guard rails. The collision is being investigated.



City Streets Division Worker Struck and Killed

March 14, GILROY, CA - 40 year old David Vogel was struck and killed by a vehicle as he performed routine street inspections Monday morning. His body was reported about 11 a.m. As of 2 p.m., no information regarding the driver had been made available by the city or the Gilroy Police Department. The accident is being investigated by the GPD's Major Accident Investigation Team.


Bus Driver Killed After Being Ejected

March 14, NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - 50 year old Wei Wang of Forest Hills, Queens, a bus driver for Super Luxury Tours, was killed when his bus crashed on the New Jersey Turnpike. It is believed the bus had a tire blow out and caused Wang to lose control of the bus. The bus was on its way back from New York's China Town to Washington DC when the crash occurred. Wang was ejected through the windshield and died at the scene. Another passenger also died.


Engineer Dies From Fall At Shuttle Launch Site

March 14, CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - 53 year old James D. Vanover of Titusville, a United Space Alliance Engineer, fell from a launch pad today. Vanover fell from an unspecified height at launch pad 39A, where Endeavour was being prepared for a targeted April 19 launch on its final flight. Vanover's work supported the operation of several swing arms attached to the pad's fixed tower, each more than 100 feet above the pad surface.


Man Dies in Forklift Accident

March 14, MELROSE PARK, IL - 34 year old Osvaldo Bautista died Monday at the JKS Ventures Recycling facility. A Tuesday autopsy found that he died of compression asphyxia and ruled the death an accident, according to the medical examiner’s office. According to sources, Bautista became pinned between a forklift and semi tractor trailer.



Officer Killed in Struggle With Suspect

March 13, STATEN ISLAND, NY - 42 year old Alain Sharbarger, a Staten Island police officer, who was thrown down a stairwell by a convicted burglar early this morning in Brooklyn has died from his injuries. Sharbarger was responding to a domestic dispute and after an investigation he was arresting the suspect. When Officer Sharbarger started to handcuff the suspect, he resisted and started scuffling with Sharbarger and threw him over a railing down a cement stairwell. Sharbarger fell about 9 feet, landing on his head. His neck was broken in the fall.


Two Deputies Shot and Killed by Suspect

March 13, GRUNDY, VA - 41 year old Cameron Neil Justus of Hurley and 46 year old William "Billy" Ezra Stiltner of Maxie, both Deputies for Buchanan County Sheriff's Department, died in an exchange of gunfire with a suspect on Sunday. Both deputies, along with other officers were trying to arrest a man who was reported to be stealing from a salvage garage. Deputies Justus and Stiltner were shot and killed during the exchange of gunfire with the suspect, who also died at the scene. Stiltner was an eight-year veteran of the force while Justus had served for 10 years.


Maintenance Worker Dies of Head Injuries

March 13, ORLANDO, FL - 52 year old Russell Sherry Roscoe died after suffering a head injury on a ride undergoing maintenance at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Bo Jones, the assistant chief of Reedy Creek Emergency Services, says the cause of the accident was not clear. The ride, which Disney describes as a mild rollercoaster, is closed while undergoing maintenance so no guests were in the area when the accident happened.



Police Officer Killed by Friendly Fire

March 12, MASSAPEQUA PARK, NY - Geoff Breitkopf of Long Island, a 12 year police veteran of the Nassau County Police Department and member of the elite Bureau of Special Operations was accidentally killed Saturday night. Two officers responded to reports of a known satanist who was holed up in his parents house after terrorizing a neighborhood. An MTA officer who had arrived on scene to provide back up was standing outside the home when Breitkopf arrived at the scene in an unmarked car and approached the residence carrying a shotgun. It's unclear if either officer identified himself, nor is it clear what prompted the MTA officer to shoot, but he fired one round at Breitkopf, fatally wounding him in his right side. The suspect, holed up in his parents house, burst out wielding a knife and was shot dead.



Officer Dies of Work Related Illness

March 12, ORANGE COUNTY, FL - 40 year old Deputy Sebastian Diana, who served 11 years with the Orange County Sheriff's Office, died this weekend from an illness he contracted while working. Several years ago Deputy Diana responded to a 9-1-1 call and tried to save a 3 month old baby's life by giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The child didn't make it and the sheriff's office said Diana contracted a bacterial infection. Fellow deputies said his heart failed. A cardiologist, not familiar with the case, said a bacterial infection could set up and harm heart valves.


Responding Firefighter Collapses and Dies

March 12, LEE, FL - 49 year old Capt. James Von Roden, a firefighter with the Lee Community Volunteer Fire Department died Saturday while responding to the fire station. He collapsed and was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. He had more than 15 years of fire service.


Two Shop Employees Attacked, One Killed

March 11, BETHESDA, MD - 30 year old Jayna T. Murray of Rosslyn was killed after she and another employee had closed down their Bethesda Row store Lululemon Friday night. Police say they were attacked by two men wearing masks and gloves around 10:00 p.m., after closing the store for the night. The second employee is recovering from injuries she sustained. Police are continuing their investigation into this crime.


Worker Dies After Being Pinned Between Semi's

March 11, ROANOKE, VA - 26 year old Bobby Cooper of Walland, TN was killed when he became pinned between two tractor trailers at a Kroger warehouse in Roanoke County. Cooper died Friday morning when he ran behind a tractor trailer that was backing into a parking space to alert the driver that the space was taken. He was transported to a hospital where he died.


EMT Collapses Giving CPR

March 11, ST. LOUIS, MO - 37 year old Scherese Bishop, a Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District employee, collapsed while trying to resuscitate a man and died Friday afternoon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, a hospital spokesperson said. As Bishop was administering CPR on the man, she herself collapsed. The cause of Bishop's collapse is still unknown. She did not have any known medical conditions.


Farmer Dies in Tractor Accident

March 11, LONGVIEW, TX - 77 year old Charles Elms was died when he was run over by his tractor while he was trying to repair it. According to one witness, the tractor had jumped out of gear and traveled forward, pinning Elms under the tires.


Young Worker Dies in Oilfield Accident

March 11, MARTIN, TX - 18 year old Daniel Scott Nagel of Big Spring died Friday in an accident at Mabee Ranch. Police report that Nagel was operating a forklift and unloading a doghouse on top of a semi-trailer. Somehow Nagel got between the forklift and semi and was crushed between the two. He died at the scene of internal bleeding.



Store Clerk Shot to Death in Robbery

March 11, WEST PALM BEACH, FL - 53 year old Hanna Bahbah, a night clerk at City Place Food Mart, was shot to death in a robbery Friday night.




Worker Dies in Fall From Tower

March 11, BIRMINGHAM, AL - 44 year old Cirino Alvarez Cortieras of Mexico, fell to his death at the Birmingham Water Works plant Friday. Authorities said he fell about 30 feet from a concrete tank being constructed. The plant and OSHA will be investigating Cortieras' death. He lived in the Birmingham area for about a year to work.


Worker Crushed Under Mechanical Equipment

March 11, TAMPA, FL - An unidentified worker died and another worker was injured inside the Pepsi Bottling Group warehouse on Friday. According to officials, a robotic lift system used to move whole loaded palettes collapsed onto the workers from 20 feet in the air. Police are withholding the identities of the victims, but they did reveal they were employed by an outside contractor and are from Pennsylvania.


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Truck Driver Dies in Major Crash

March 10, PIQUA, OH - 49 year old James W. Kennedy of Clio, MI died in an early morning wreck when his semi left the highway. Ohio State Highway Patrol said that the driver lost control of his vehicle in Piqua around 4:30 a.m. The truck drifted off the left side of the road, broke through a guardrail, then became airborne and ran, head-on, into an embankment before coming to rest across Garbry Road below. Troopers are investigating whether Kennedy may have fallen asleep or a medical condition may have contributed to the crash.



Worker Killed in Logging Accident

March 9, BEMIDJI, MN - 37 year old Lance Randal Bohlman of Eckles Township died Wednesday in a logging accident. It was determined that Bohlman had been operating a tracked skid steer outfitted with a logging sheer prior to the accident. Initial indications indicate that a log penetrated a gap in the cab floor and wedged up underneath a hydraulic pedal. Bohlman exited the cab to apparently clear the jam. but then the tension underneath the hydraulic pedal was released causing the boom arm to fall, fatally injuring Bohlman.



Dump Truck Driver Killed in Rollover

March 9, RAVENEL, SC - 59 year old David Rokusek of West Ashley died from injuries after being ejected from a truck Wednesday morning. The dump truck carrying sand overturned on County Line Road.


Falling Tree Kills Worker

March 9, HUNTERSVILLE, MD - 24 year old Kenny Lee Staley Jr. of Charles County, died Wednesday after a tree fell on him. Staley was working with a crew from a tree service company to clear a wooded lot. As one worker was using a chipper and the other cutting the tree, when Staley was walking to get a rake the tree came down on him. He died of head injuries.


Crew Member Dies When Drilling Rig Collapses

March 9, BAYOU SORREL, LA - 30 year old Skye Sonnier of New Iberia was killed when a drilling rig toppled onto a barge in the Atchafalaya Basin. Sheriff's spokesperson said Sonnier died when he was pinned between the toppled rig and a mud tank. The rig is owned by Estis Well Service of New Iberia.


Truck Driver Found Dead Inside Idling Truck

March 9, SOUTH BEND, IN - 63 year old Richard Jacobs of Star City, who reportedly sat dead in his idling cab for nearly a day, was found Wednesday by police along the St. Joseph Valley Parkway. According to police reports, Jacobs had a road atlas in his hands, which led them to believe he had pulled his truck off the road to read the map. No evidence suggested foul play, and a coroner surmised Jacobs, who had a history of medical problems, died of a heart attack.


Police Officer Serving Fugitive Warrant Shot

March 9, LIMON, CO - 27 year old Jay Sheridan, an officer of 6 1/2 years for Limon Police Department, was fatally shot Wednesday as he and Lincoln County deputies were trying to serve a fugitive warrant, Colorado State Police said Thursday in a statement. After shooting Sheridan the fugitive remained barricaded inside the home before eventually killing himself.



Letter Carrier Killed When Porch Collapses

March 8, DUNDEE, MI - 46 year old Nancy Schafer, a Dundee postal employee since 1993, was killed in a freak accident Tuesday. Schafer was killed Tuesday when the porch at a home where she was delivering mail collapsed sending two concrete slabs on top of her, Dundee Police Chief David Uhl said. When Schafer was standing on the porch, the slabs cracked and she fell into a 10-foot deep root cellar beneath the porch and the slabs, which weighed about 500 pounds each, also fell in and pinned her.



Worker Dies After Being Hit by Live Wire

March 8, NEW ORLEANS, LA - 27 year old Roberto Ruiz died Tuesday of electrocution while working under a house in St. Bernard Parish. Ruiz worked for New Orleans-based Tim Clack Construction, which elevates houses for Road Home applicants. Another worker, who wasn't present at the moment he heard a small scream, but that when he went under to pull Ruiz out, the wire was touching Ruiz in the mouth. He said he met Ruiz on Saturday, and speculated that he must have been a new worker.



Food Store Owner Found Shot to Death

March 8, ROCKY MOUNT, NC - 47 year old Rafiq Soufan, known as "Sammy" was found shot to death in the doorway of his store, Sammy's Food Mart. The police are treating this as a homicide investigation. They are searching for two suspects who are possibly travelling in an older model grey four door Toyota Camry. The car has three hubcaps and one black steel rim.



U.S. Deputy Marshall Shot by Fugitive

March 8, ST. LOUIS, MO - 48 year old Deputy U.S. Marshall John Perry died of his injuries after being shot in the head Tuesday while trying to capture a fugitive. Another deputy Marshall and St. Louis police officer were injured in the shoot out. The suspect was wanted on a warrant and after the officers escorted several children out of the home and began searching for the man, he opened fire on them. The suspect also died.



Worker Crushed Under Truck Tires

March 8, HARRISON, MI - 45 year old Chris Sible died Tuesday after being hit by a truck while working on a well at a home in Clare County. Sible and others were working on a well at a home where the driver of a well drilling truck had backed in to the inclined driveway, the sheriff said. A wooden block had been placed in front of one of the truck’s rear tires, and Sible bent down to pull the block away when the truck rolled forward, and his glove got caught between the tire and block, pulling him under the truck tire, Wilson said.


Worker Killed in Industrial Accident

March 8, NEW CASTLE, IN - An unidentified man from Lebanon died in an accident that occurred at the Alleghany Ludlum Steel Corp. plant in New Castle. He was a contractor working on a an overhead crane while standing on the platform of a scissor lift. The lift was extended 30 to 40 feet when it toppled over, throwing the men off the crane onto the concrete floor.



Department of Corrections Official Dies in Car Accident

March 8, FREDERICKTOWN, MO - Debra Collins, District Administrator for Missouri Department of Corrections, died after her car ran off the road on U.S. 67, officials said Tuesday. According to a press release, Collins was headed to a meeting in Poplar Bluff Friday when her vehicle overturned in a ditch on the highway. She was pronounced dead at the scene.


Worker Dies in Accident of Bucket Truck

March 8, TALBOT, TN - 35 year old Danny Collins died and his passenger injured in an accident involving a bucket truck. Collins and his passenger were contractors for Lenior City Utility Board. According to witnesses, the truck was traveling east on Boyd's Station Road when it ran off the side. Collins over-corrected and crossed into the other lane, ran into a ditch and overturned. He was trapped inside the car and died at the scene. The passenger suffered non life-threatening injuries.



Semi Driver Killed in Accident

March 8, MIDLAND, TX - 45 year old Darin Gaylor died in a two vehicle accident on Tuesday. A man driving a Freightliner tractor trailer turned left in front of a Kenworth FedEx truck with two trailers. The FedEx truck, driven by Gaylor, then hit the side of the Freightliner. The driver of the Freightliner was taken to the hospital and faces charges in Gaylor's death.



Store Owner Dies in Fire

March 7, FAYETTEVILLE, AR - 57 year old Bruce Walker, owner of Flying Possum Leather, was killed in a fire at the store early Monday morning. A fire department spokesman said Walker's body was found face down on the floor. Crews performed CPR, but were not able to revive him. He suffered only minor burns, the spokesman said. Police said Walker's dog, as much a Dickson Street fixture as Walker, stayed with Walker's body until crews broke down the door to get into the building.


Logging Accident Claims Man's Life

March 7, BIG ISLAND, VA - 72 year old Jake R. Goff, working with Goff Logging of Big Island, was killed after a tree he was trying to cut down fell on him Monday afternoon, authorities said. A co-worker told authorities Goff was alone and cutting a tree with a chainsaw, the release said. It appears the tree Goff was cutting hit another tree, and a limb from that tree hit Goff.



Bridge Worker Dies of Head Injuries

March 7, BREMERTON, WA - 39 year old David Robecker of Shelton, injured while working on Bremerton's new Manette Bridge has died. Bremerton police say Robecker was injured Saturday when a winch malfunctioned and hit him in the head. Robecker worked for Manson Construction Company of Seattle. The accident is being investigated by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration because the injury happened on a barge on the water.


Truck Driver Dies When Truck Overturns

March 7, WYTHEVILLE, VA - 31 year old Nicholas Andrew Marlin of Telford, PA was killed on Monday afternoon after his rig overturned on Interstate 77, state police said. Marlin was traveling north on I-77 when his vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway and overturned. He was pronounced dead at the crash site at 3:30 p.m. Marlin drove truck for Hatfield Quality Meats.



Company Owner Dies After Being Trapped Under Door

March 7, BARNESVILLE, MN - 51 year old Stephen Peterson was found dead at the business he co-owns Monday. Peterson became trapped under the large garage door as it was closing at Barnsville Bus Company. He was found by his brother who had gone looking for him. The door apparently did not malfunction. Police are treating the death as an accident.



Refinery Worker Succumbs to Injuries

March 6, NORCO, LA - 29 year old Victor Rodriguez of Houston, TX died, and another injured, as a result of injuries sustained Sunday at Valero Energy Corp. refinery near Norco. According to police the workers were on an elevated piece of equipment when one smelled hydrogen sulfide and they began to evacuate the area. Rodriguez was found on the ground outside the ladder cage and suffered some head trauma. Police report that "The coroner told us there was head trauma, so we don't know if the ultimate fatal injuries were caused by the initial exposure (to hydrogen sulfide) or from the fall."



Man Killed Trying to Stop Robbery

March 5, BALTIMORE, MD - 57 year old George Marshall was killed and another employee injured when they tried to stop a man from committing a robbery. The men were working at Patapsco Valley Sales and Service when they heard noises outside. They discovered a man trying to break into one of the vehicles. Marshall was hit and killed by the suspect as he tried to leave the scene. The injured employee suffered non life-threatening injuries. The suspect faces murder charges.



Truck Driver Killed in Fiery Crash

March 5, NEW BRAUNFELS, TX - 49 year old Paul Goar of Live Oak was killed in a wreck Friday night. Police said the tractor truck pulling a trailer that Goar was driving veered off of the main northbound lanes, struck a guardrail and a large sign on the side of the roadway before bursting into flames. The sign then fell on the northbound lanes of Interstate 35 and was hit by another tractor truck, which then hit a concrete wall and jack knifed, police said. A Ford F-150 also struck a piece of the sign in the northbound lane. None of the other drivers was injured.



Alabama Town Mourning Loss of Police Officer

March 5, JEMISON, AL - Officer Donald Joshua Newman of the Jemison Police Department was killed Saturday afternoon while responding to an emergency call in the Chilton County town of Thorsby. Newman was en route to a two-car collision involving injuries to children when his cruiser hydroplaned on a stretch of wet road on Highway 31. Newman lost control of the car and hit a power pole. Officials say he was pronounced dead on the scene.


Cab Driver Shot and Killed in Possible Robbery Attempt

March 5, LAS VEGAS, NV - 30 year old Tesfaye Arze was fatally shot Friday. Police are searching for two suspects whose images are seen on the cab's interior camera. Arze was found outside his cab in a remote northeast neighborhood. Police say the death could have stemmed from a robbery that led to a scuffle.


Two Die in Tragic Construction Accident

March 5, UNION TWP, OH - Two brothers, 48 year old Michael Lewis of Lawrenceburg, KY and 36 year old Kenneth Lewis of Georgetown, KY were both found dead at a home they were renovating in Clermont County. Police believe the deaths were accidental, possibly the result of carbon monoxide poisoning. The home had no power and was undergoing renovations, Police Lt. Gaviglia said. The brothers were living in it while renovating it. A generator was found at the home and there were signs that it had recently been used, Gaviglia said.


Officer Dies of Medical Emergency During Training

March 4, ALEXANDRIA, KY - 58 year old James "Stumpy" Sticklen collapsed from a medical emergency while attending the final day of a 40-day course in Crisis Intervention Training, the department reports. Stricklen was the school resource officer serving the Campbell County School District, Bishop Brossart High School and St. Mary Grade School.



Woman Dies in Accident at Restaurant

March 4, OKLAHOMA, OK - 21 year old Cheryl Bauer died after an accident at the Paseo Grill Reserve in the city's Paseo arts district. Bauer's life was cut short this week when she died from injuries suffered Friday after a dumbwaiter malfunctioned, dragging her down a shaft. City officials have said that Bauer was either loading or unloading the dumbwaiter on the restaurant's first floor when it malfunctioned, falling to the basement and dragging her with it. Federal OSHA will be investigating the incident.



Car Wreck Claims Life of Social Worker and Child

March 4, PICKENS, SC - 36 year old Chrystal Nicole Harrison, a social worker for South Carolina Department of Social Services was killed, along with a child she was transporting, in a two-vehicle accident Friday in Pickens County, authorities said Saturday. Two teen boys, who were also passengers, were injured in the accident. Harrison was driving a state owned car when the driver of another vehicle crossed the center line and collided with Harrison's vehicle.


Worker Dies of Natural Causes While Working

March 4, ATLANTA, GA - 54 year old Kevin Hunter, a zoning county administrator for the DeKalb County Planning Department, died in his office Friday. Hunter’s cause of death was not immediately available, but county officials said he died from natural causes. Hunter worked for DeKalb for 13 years and handled many zoning issues for the county, Brennan said.


Accident at Lumber Company Kills Worker

March 4, FULTON, MS - 35 year old Jaime Underwood, an employee for Graham Lumber, died shortly after a workplace incident at an Itawamba County sawmill. The Lee County Coroner was told he may have been electrocuted, but ordered the autopsy.


Two Workers Die on Bridge Dismantling Project

March 2, MS/AR - After searching unsuccessfully for the names of two men who died while working for Granite Construction on dismantling the old Mississippi River Bridge between Mississippi and Arkansas I can only report the two as unidentified at this time. The only information I can find is that one 46 year old man died on site and a 21 year old man died later at the hospital. I will post their names as soon as they are published.

Pastor Found Dead Inside Church

March 3, ARLINGTON, TX - 29 year old Rev. Clint Dobson, Pastor of Northpointe Baptist Church, was found dead inside his church Thursday afternoon. His assistant was found severely injured. According to a police spokeswoman, a friend of a worker at the church in north Arlington was having trouble reaching the worker and went to the church at around 4 p.m. Thursday. While walking around the outside of the church, the friend looked in a window, saw someone lying motionless on the floor and called police. Police say the killer evidently store the injured assistance's car. She remains hospitalized.


California Truck Driver Killed In Oregon

March 3, RUFUS, OR - 48 year old Lino Domingo Lopez-Hernandez, a commercial truck driver from Bakersfield, CA was killed Thursday in an unusual accident. Oregon State Police say Lopez-Hernandez had stopped to look for an axle and two tires that came off the truck. As he was walking along the freeway shoulder, a pickup truck hit the axle, knocking it into him. He then went over a guardrail and fell about 200 feet down an embankment where he was found dead.


Worker Killed in Industrial Accident

March 3, MANSFIELD, OH - 55 year old Danny H. Wolfe was killed Thursday in an industrial accident at Americarb in Ashland. He suffered abdominal injuries while working on a piece of machinery. An autopsy will be done to determine the cause of death, although the preliminary finding is Wolfe died of internal bleeding. OSHA is investigating.




Two Workers Electrocuted During Home Renovation

March 3, LITTLE ROCK, AR - 33 year old Ignacio Camorilla has been identified as one of the workers who died while working on a home renovation project in Little Rock. According to police, the metal scaffold they were on came into contact with live power lines. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. Police are waiting to release the other victim's name until next of kin can be notified.


Tree Trimmer hits Electrical Line With Equipment

March 2, ST. PETERSBURG, FL - 50 year old George Arthur Ball died while trimming a neighbor's tree today. Ball was using a gas-powered pole saw with a chainsaw at the end. He had one foot on an extension ladder and his other foot was in the tree, then when he cut the limb, the momentum took him forward and the pole saw made contact with an electrical line carrying 7,200 volts of electricity, a spokesman said.



Business Owner Shot to Death by Disgruntled Employee

March 2, ATHENS, TN - 48 year old Darrell R. Franklin of Sweetwater, owner of Fay Innovative Waste Solutions, was shot to death by one of his employees Wednesday. The employee and Franklin reportedly had a confrontation earlier and after leaving, the employee returned with a gun. After killing Franklin, the employee committed suicide. Franklin was also Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church for over a decade.


Superintendent Working at Mine Facility Dies in Accident

March 2, AURORA, NC - 51 year old David Clark of Chocowinity, was killed at the PotashCorp mining facility around 5 p.m. Wednesday. Clark, a veteran employee of Trader Construction Co. Clark was a superintendent with the company with more than 30 years of industrial construction experience. Trader Construction Co. and PotashCorp mining facility are working alongside MSHA to determine the cause of the fatal industrial accident.


Delivery Driver Crushed Under Truck Tire

March 2, PORT TOWNSEND, WA - 69 year old Allen Clifford Hurn of Sedro-Woolley was found Wednesday, crushed under a truck tire in an industrial park near Port Townsend. According to a Jefferson County Sheriff Spokesman, Hurn was making a delivery to Sunshine Propane when he called his Whatcom County employer to report truck trouble. He was instructed to drive the truck to Tacoma for repair. He was later found by another employee arriving for work, pinned under the truck's rear wheel. His death is being investigated as an industrial accident.


Truck Driver Crushed Helping to Off Load a Truck

March 2, BIRMINGHAM, AL - 52 year old Steven Spillars of Mississippi died in Birmingham today after he was crushed by a tractor trailer he was helping to unload. Spillars was behind a truck helping to open the back doors when the truck backed up and pinned him between the trailer and the loading dock, said Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Bill Yates. Other workers heard him yell and discovered he was pinned. He died at UAB Hospital.


Truck Driver Death on Interstate Being Investigated

March 2, STONE CREEK, OH - 61 year old Garey L. Spung of Zanesville died of unclear circumstances Wednesday. Deputies said the patrol received numerous calls of a commercial tractor-trailer rig blocking the southbound lanes of the interstate. Spung was found unconscious inside his rig. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead of suspected natural causes. The tractor-trailer rig is owned by US Xpress Inc.


Business Owner Shot to Death by Employee

March 1, APOPKA, FL - 39 year old Nasser Alkatlan was shot and killed Tuesday by one of his employees during an argument. According to police, the employee returned from a flooring job and was confronted by Alkattan in the parking lot, and they started arguing before shooting Alkattan. Police say there's a some information that possibly a job that the employee was doing earlier didn't go well, maybe the customer called in a complaint.


Farmer Killed When Caught In Farm Machinery Drive Shaft

March 1, ARCADIA, WI - 69 year old David A. Fernholz died Tuesday after his clothing got caught in a power drive shaft of a manure spreader, according to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department. Reports indicate Fernholz was repairing the spreader as it was running inside a machine shed.


Man Dies From Fall Into Meat Grinder

February 28, HANFORD, CA - 72 year old Leopoldo Gutierrez was killed Monday when he fell into a meat grinding machine. The incident happened at Central Valley Meat Co. in Hanford. No other specific information is available.



Worker Dies From Being Trapped in Culvert

February 28, WHITE HOUSE, TN - John Bosch, a White House Public Works employee, died after he became trapped in a culvert Monday. Officials said Bosch was working near a culvert on a drainage issue. When Bosch began removing the debris, he suddenly fell into the rushing water into an underground culvert. Other workers from the crew tried frantically to dig up the ground but Bosch was later found some 40 yards from where he fell.



Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Collision

February 28, MURFREESBORO, TN - 59 year old William D. Stewart of New Hope, AL died when his 2006 Freightliner box truck, carrying janitorial supplies, collided with the back of another semi that had slowed down for traffic. Slick driving conditions after heavy storms likely contributed to the collision. Stewart died at the scene and the other semi driver was transported to the hospital for his injuries.



School Bus Driver Likely Had Medical Issue Before Bus Crash

February 28, BLACKFOOT, ID - 64 year old Joann Jensen died Monday while on route for Stalker Elementary School. Officials say Jensen was driving a Teton Stage Lines bus with 34 students from Stalker Elementary School when she lost control of the bus at about 2 p.m. None of the students were injured and it appears Jensen suffered a medical condition before losing control of the bus. She drove the same route for over 13 years.



Worker Dies of Blunt Force Injuries

February 28, LUFKIN, TX - 44 year old Clayton "CJ" Johnson died of blunt force trauma to the chest after a piece of metal fell on him while he was doing maintenance work at the Brookshire Brothers warehouse Monday. According to the police investigative report, Johnson's death was caused by a loading dock ramp falling onto him. Johnson worked at Brookshire Brothers for four years.




Immigrant Farmer Killed by Bull

February 26, FARMINGTON, WI - 23 year old Dilshodbek Mirkamilov, an immigrant worker from Asia, died of chest injuries after he was trampled by a bull on the farm he was working on. Mirkamilov had been employed on the same farm for the past two years, where he was responsible for moving cows from a freestall barn to the milking parlor.


Worker Dies in Accident at Waste Water Plant

February 25, HANOVER PARK, IL - 51 year old John Fergus of Mount Prospect died Friday from injuries he suffered in an accident involving a Bobcat machine. Details of the accident have not yet been released. Fergus was an electrician with the Water Reclamation District of Great Chicago and father of six.


Contract Worker Electrocuted

February 24, RIVERSIDE, CA - 71 year Curtis Elmer Martin of Corona, a contract worker for Stronghold Engineering working at UC Riverside, was electrocuted on Thursday while working on an electrical panel in the basement of the university's geology building, coroner officials said. He did not return when he was expected and someone went to find him," Campus Spokeswoman Lovekin said. She said there were no regulations prohibiting Martin from working alone.


Other Fatalities That Have Come to Our Attention by Other Means:

February 3, EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - Mario Romero died as the result of a fall. He worked for Romero's Construction.

January 6, PARAMUS, NJ - Dominick Ricco died of respiratory failure. He worked for Shop Rite.

February 17, CLIFTON, NJ - Albert Marquez died as a result of being struck by an object. He worked for Joseph M. Sanzari, Inc.

February 1, KINGS, NY - David Fritz died as the result of a fall from height. He worked for Regal Plumbing Corp.

January 20, NEW YORK, NY - Richard Smith died as the result of a fall from height. He worked for R. Smith Restorations.