Weekly Toll

Worker Crushed by Luggage Machine

July 28, ALBUQUERQUE, NM - an unidentified American Airlines mechanic has died after being crushed by a piece of equipment he was working on. The mechanic was doing routine maintenance on the machine that loads luggage into the plane. The hydraulics failed and the machine dropped on top of the mechanic.


Firefighter Dies Checking for Others in Building Fire

July 28, ASHVILLE, NC - 37 year old Fire Captain Jeff Bowen has died as he checked to see if anyone was trapped by a fire in an Asheville medical building. Bowen was found after issuing a mayday call from the fifth floor of the building near Mission Hospital. He died a short time later at the hospital. It has not been determined if the fire or smoke caused his death.



Man Working on Roof Dies After Becoming Tangled in Rope

July 28, CHICAGO, IL - 50 year old Craig Olesky of Tinley Park died after getting tangled in rope while working on a roof in the Near North neighborhood Thursday afternoon. Olesky became tangled in rope being used to lower equipment, Police News Affairs Officer Darryl Baety said. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.


Contract Worker Suffers Fatal Electrocution

July 28, TEUTOPOLIS, IL - Brett J. Kemme was electrocuted while working on a home in the Green Creek area Thursday morning. He was electrocuted by a blower fan that had a ground wire come off of the blower motor. Kemme was soaked with sweat and when he grabbed the blower with both hands, was shocked by the blower motor that was already running for sometime.


Trucker Killed in Crash

July 27, ROANOKE, VA - 46 year old Vasyl Sovyak of Cary, NC was killed in a tractor trailer crash Wednesday. Authorities say it appears Sovyak failed to negotiate a curve, went off the roadway and hit a tree. He was ejected from the truck and pinned under it. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.



Worker Killed as Structure Collapses

July 27, SAN MARCOS, TX - 34 year old Margarito Guardado Risinos of El Salvador was killed and another worker injured in San Marcos when a metal building frame collapsed at a construction site. Both worked for Jetka Steel Erectors of Katy, a subcontractor for Austin-based Bailey Elliot Construction, authorities said.


Worker Suffers Fatal Injuries

July 27, JACKSONVILLE, GA - 32 year old John Thomas Orr died following an incident Wednesday morning at College of Coastal Georgia. Preliminary reports show Orr, who worked for a subcontractor, was on a ladder to turn on a piece of machinery. Someone heard a loud pop and Orr fell from the ladder, breaking several rungs. The fall may have been due to an electrical shock.


Welder Electrocuted at Coal Processing Plant

July 27, MAITLAND, WV - 40 year old Jason Stacey was fatally electrocuted Wednesday at a coal processing plant undergoing renovations. The accident occurred at the Superior Processing Plant in Maitland. The plant is undergoing renovations and was not processing coal at the time. Stacey was an employee of Marion, Il-based Mike Dover Corp., an independent contractor, but his hometown was not immediately available.


Power Plant Worker Found Dead

July 27, STORRS, CT - 64 year old Nicholas Esposito of Branford was found dead at the University of Connecticut power plant. He was found unresponsive Wednesday afternoon and emergency personnel were called to the scene where he was pronounced dead. No foul play is suspected but an autopsy will be performed to determine exact cause of death.


Plant Supervisor Dies in Early Morning Incident

July 27, MOUNT PLEASANT, TX - Jimmy Bynum, a 25 year employee for Pilgrim's Pride, died when a truck backed up, pinning him. He was a night shift supervisor at the protein conversion plant. The circumstances are not clear but Bynum was wearing the company approved bright yellow safety vest but he somehow got pinned beneath a truck's tires as it backed up. He was flown to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.


Backhoe Rollover Kills Worker

July 27, BANGOR, ME - 23 year old Danny Dodge of Jackson was killed when a backhoe toppled over into a ditch. It appears to investigators that Dodge was installing a gas line when the backhoe overturned on top of him. Dodge was apparently not the driver of the backhoe. Dodge worked for Bowdoin Excavation, contracted by Bangor Gas.


Worker Suffers Fatal Injuries Due to Fall

July 27, WEST CARROLLTON, OH - 65 year old William Sapp Jr. of Riverside died after falling 30 feet at the Montgomery County Western Regional Reclamation plant Wednesday. Sapp, working for a private contractor, was helping install a ventilation system when he lost his balance and fell. OSHA is investigating.


Medical Issue May Have Contributed to Trucker's Death

July 26, DUNDALK, MD - 51 year old Larry George Foster of Richmond, VA died as the result of a tractor trailer crash Tuesday. A possible medical issue may have caused Foster to lose control of the vehicle, crashing into a mail box and several parked cars near North Point Blvd. Foster was transported to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.


Rancher Struck and Killed by Bull

July 25, MADRES, OR - 57 year old Tom Green, a rancher and feedlot owner has died at a Bend hospital after apparently being struck by a large bull, Jefferson County sheriff's deputies said. Witnesses say he was hit from behind by the bull and suffered severe head and chest trauma. He died at a local hospital.


University Electrician Dies on Job

July 26, MADISON, WI - 40 year old Brad R. Krause of Sun Prairie died Tuesday while working in the attic space of above Mills Concert Hall at the Humanities Building. He was an electrician for the University of Wisconson-Madison. It is unclear exactly what happened but preliminary autopsy results were consistent with a death due to electrocution.


Man Fatally Injured in Shooting

July 25, NORTHRIDGE, CA - 55 year old Cristian Manzur of North Hills was working at the CarpetLand store in Northridge when he was shot July 22. He remained on life support until he died Monday. Police are calling Manzur's death a homicide.


Worker Dies After Fall Through Ceiling Opening

July 26, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC - 60 year old Juan Arriaga of Savannah, GA died when he fell about 12 feet through an opening in a ceiling. He was working on the heating and air conditioning system at a weight loss clinic on Hilton Head Island when he tripped and fell through a hole. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.


Plumber Electrocuted Working Under House

July 26, ALBANY, GA - 17 year old Benjamin Graham died after being electrocuted while working under a home on a water pipe. The circumstances are not clear but the tenant of the home said about noon Graham's partner ran into the house looking for the electrical box and shut the power off. Graham was transported to a hospital. Graham was working for his family's Sizemore Plumbing and Heating business.


Security Guard Shot Dead Trying to Shield Co-Worker

July 26, JACKSON, MS - 54 year old James McKinney was shot to death in an attempted robbery of a Shell gas station Tuesday morning. McKinney, a security guard, was trying to shield a co-worker clerk of the station, who suffered a single gunshot wound. McKinney suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.


Worker Killed in Drilling Incident

July 25, YOAKUM, TX - 28 year old Jeremy Rameriz of Odessa, a derrick hand for Basic Energy Services, was killed Monday in an industrial accident of some kind, although it was unclear Tuesday afternoon exactly what happened. A Basic Energy spokesman said Ramirez was working on a well-servicing rig, but would not speak beyond that due to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigating the incident.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash

July 25, LETCHER, KY - 46 year old Chester Smith of London died Monday after wrecking a tractor-trailer loaded with landfill garbage in Knott County. The truck, owned by Watco LLC of Somerset, hit a guardrail and overturned. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.


Two Teens Electrocuted Working on Farm

July 25, TAMPICO, IL - Jade Garza and Hannah Kendall, both 14 years old and both from Sterling, were electrocuted while working to remove tassels on corn after coming into contact with a field irrigator near the village of Tampico. The field Garza and Kendall were working in was filled with water. Eight other young workers were injured. They were working for St. Louis-based Monsanto Corp.


Contractor Worker Dies at Water Treatment Plant

July 25, VALPARAISO, IN - 38 year old Donald Nowell died after falling ill at the City of Valparaiso's water treatment facility on Monday. Nowell, an employee for Bowen Engineering Corp., died of lung failure according to the coroner. Coroner Harris said it is unclear right now whether chemicals which the man was using while working in a tank at the plant were the cause of that failure or an underlying lung disease. Nowell had been applying “an adhesive compound” to a water tank when he complained of being “dizzy and nauseous.” Co-workers helped him and then called 911.


Farmer Run Over and Killed by Tractor

July 25, PIEDMONT, SD - 78 year old Donley "Jack" Wilson was killed after being run over by a tractor pulling a baler. He went to the field early in the morning to bale hay alone. When his family could not contact him, they later found him in the field.


Man Found Crushed Between Rail Cars

July 25, CHICAGO, IL - 34 year old Andres Tapia was found dead this morning in a southwest suburban rail yard, crushed between two freight cars, officials said. A spokesperson for the coroner's office said Tapia was an employee of the Belt Railway Co. rail yard. Tapia was discovered crushed between two freight cars, the spokeswoman said, though it wasn't immediately clear how that happened.


Ranch Worker Pinned Between Equipment

July 25, TURLOCK, CA - 44 year old Juan Pineda died Monday while working at a ranch on August Avenue. He was trying to free a piece of farm equipment that had become bogged down in the soft dirt. A sheriff spokesman said Pineda had chained the stuck equipment to his truck in an effort to pull it free. As he was adjusting the tow line one of the vehicles slid backward and pinned him between the two vehicles.


Wildland Firefighter Found Dead

July 24, WHITERIVER, AZ - 43 year old Deon "Dino" Classay was found dead while while working on a lightning-caused fire near Whiteriver last weekend. He failed to return to an established camp on the evening on July 23, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Other search agencies were called in and his body was found Sunday. It is unclear at this time to his cause of death.


Highway Worker Run Down by Drunken Driver

July 24, RIVERSIDE, CA - 51 year old Barry Steele of Beaumont died after being hit by a drunk driver July 20 while working on an freeway overpass. The drunk, 21 year old driver, entered a closed freeway ramp - cordoned off with signs and barriers but accessible as workers brought equipment in and out. Workers in trucks tried to alert her, but she kept going down the ramp, hitting a loader, a concrete barrier and eventually Steele, a worker with Skanska U.S.A. Civil.


Worker Dies in Industrial Incident

July 24, CALHOUN, GA - 40 year old Shin Gyun Kim of Rossville was killed in an industrial incident at LG Hausys plant Sunday. A maintenance worker, Kim was replacing a hydraulic cylinder when a heavy machine swung around and struck him in the head, Deputy Coroner Nicholson said.


Gas Tanker Crash and Explosion Kills Driver

July 23, SAUGUS, MA - 59 year old Neal Michaud of Manchester, NH died as the result of the fiery crash and explosion of a gas tanker loaded with 11,000 gallons of gas. Michaud, a driver for PJ Murphy Transportation of Methune, was trapped inside the cab. Traveling on Route 1, Michaud lost control of the truck, which crashed and rolled across the guardrail and into the southbound lane of the divided highway, said David Procopio, a State Police spokesman.



Truck Driver Dies in Fiery Crash

July 22, WATERLOO, NY - 59 year old Timothy Hume of Dryden, MI died when his Matrix Expedited Service's truck, hauling 14,000 pounds of ball bearings, slammed into the back of a tour bus that had just pulled back on the roadway. Authorities are looking into when the bus pulled back onto the road after a mechanical issue, and how fast the semi was going when the crash occurred.


Possible Electrocution Cause of Death at Drilling Site

July 22, WAYNESBURG, PA - 20 year old Kerry Edward Duncan of Amma, WV died on a well drilling site near Waynesburg Friday. A Greene County Coroner Duncan was possibly electrocuted by a fuel pump at the site. Duncan was working at a well site that had been drilled by Target Drilling of Smithton.


Worker Dies of Heart Attack

July 22, MT. VERNON, IL - 50 year old James Harrah of Opdyke died while working Friday. Harrah, a Kmart employee, was helping unload a semi at the dock at the rear of the store, said Jefferson County Coroner Eddie Joe Marks, when he suffered a heart attack and later died at a local hospital.


Worker Dies After Stopping Runaway Truck

July 21, KANSAS CITY, MO - 27 year old Fredrick D. Simmons died of injuries he received while trying to stop his runaway truck. The Professional Moving and Storage truck was parked outside an apartment complex when the brakes failed. Simmons ran to stop the truck and was able to get inside and stop it from hitting a major hotel or going through an intersection. However, when the truck hit the curb Simmons was thrown from the truck which then ran over him. Officials call the man a hero and said his attempt saved what could have been an even worse situation.



Worker Collapses and Dies of Hyperthermia

July 21, COLUMBUS, IN - 50 year old Charlie Hulse of North Vernon died Thursday of heat-related complications. Hulse collapsed while working at CE Systems, an iron casting foundry in Columbus and later died at Columbus Regional Hospital. Co-workers say that Hulse voiced his concerns about the heat, but kept working.


Heat Stress is Cause of Teen's Death

July 21, LOUISVILLE, KY - 18 year old Cody Johns of Sellersburg, IN died Thursday evening at a Louisville hospital after becoming overheated. Johns was working for a landscaping business when he fell ill. His temperature reached 110 degrees in the emergency room. The coroner determined that Johns died of hyperthermia.


Plumber Electrocuted Working Under House

July 19, WALLOON LAKE, MI - 60 year old Andrew Ray Hoffman was electrocuted on Tuesday in the crawl space of a residence in Walloon Lake. Hoffman used a reciprocating saw to cut out the old plumbing when his left shoulder contacted some exposed electrical wiring. That caused a large electrical shock that traveled through his body, authorities said. Hoffman worked for W.W. Fairbairn and Sons Inc., of Alanson.


Man Dies Sixteen Days Shy of Two Year Anniversary of Being Injured

July 16, HENDERSON, KY - 24 year old Darrell Wayne "Bubba" Todd III was injured in a fall from a water tower in Hawthorne, FL - on August 1, 2009. He lost his fight for life July 16, 2011. Todd was helping dismantle a water tower and reportedly was about 100 feet above ground when the tether he was using became entangled with a piece of the tower. When the piece of tower fell, so did Todd. He was badly burned by the torch he had been using, and was also cut by the tower’s metal piece. He was a welder for River Metals at the time of the incident.


Worker Dies in Fall

July 15, MOMENCE, IL - 44 year old Antonio Guerra died of injuries he suffered in a fall. Guerra, a laborer for Silva International Inc., died of multiple injuries due to a fall from a roof.






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Teen Killed in Farming Accident

July 20, INWOOD, IA - 17 year old Jordan Ross Monen of Lester was killed in a farm accident Wednesday. Monen was working on a cattle shed door from inside a payloader bucket when the payloader was accidentally moved forward, crushing Monen between the bucket and the header of the doorway. The payloader was being operated by another worker.


Ranch Owner Killed in Farming Accident

July 20, ALMO, ID - 76 year old Roscoe Bradbury Ward died after he was hit and run over by a farm tractor Wednesday. Ward was working with other family members to gather hay from a field when he used an usual method to start the tractor and then attempted to jump into the moving cab. Instead he somehow fell and was dragged and then run over by the tractor's wheels.




Driver Dies When Dump Truck Overturns

July 21, ST. LUCIE, FL - 51 year old Thomas Rex Graham of Jensen Beach died when his dump truck overturned into the St. Lucie Canal Thursday. Authorities were called to Vulcan Materials property where then they found Graham inside the cab of the submerged truck. For an unknown reason, the truck drifted off the road and onto a berm before overturning into the canal.



Falling Tree Kills Logger

July 21, EAGLE ROCK, VA - 67 year old Claude "Dickie" Dudley died when he was crushed under a falling tree Thursday. A preliminary investigation shows the tree Dudley was cutting became entangled with three other trees. He tried to cut the entanglement loose, and the nearby tree that had split at the base fell on him.


Tree Cutter Dies on the Job

July 20, DAHLONEGA, GA - 50 year old Richard Paul Stringer, a private contractor, died while cutting a tree Wednesday. Stringer was pinned to the tree by the ropes that were supporting him. He was caught in the tree about 25-30 feet above the ground. Rescue crews used a bucket truck from Amicalola EMC to recover his body.


Worker Dies of Electrocution

July 20, LOTHIAN, MD - 39 year old Brian David Gillis of Virginia Beach, VA was electrocuted Wednesday when he was working on a power pole. Gillis, who hit a live wire, was kept atop the pole by his harness. Co-workers used a bucket truck to get to him and bring him down to the ground. Gillis worked for the subcontractor Davis Elliot Electrical Contractors of Roanoke doing work for Baltimore Gas & Electric.


Bus Driver Dies of Medical Condition

July 20, EDEN PRAIRIE, MN - 48 year old Marc Yadeau of Maplewood died after suffering a medical condition while driving children to a church field trip. Authorities say the bus basically rolled to a stop and hit a guard rail and was not a significant crash. No children were hurt.


Truck Driver Killed as Rig Slams Into Another

July 20, NOWATA COUNTY, OK - 57 year old Arthur Vann, Jr. of DuQuoin, IL was killed when his semi slammed into the back of another semi Wednesday. The OHP says Vann didn't realize that the semi in front of him had stopped, slamming into the back of the semi. Vann's truck burst into flames and he was trapped inside the burning truck due to the impact of the cab into the other truck.



Worker Dies After Collapsing at Work

July 20, BARTONVILLE, IL - 40 year old John M. DeCanter of Manito collapsed and was found unresponsive in the shower room of the Keystone Steel & Wire plant Wednesday. He had told co-workers that he wasn't feeling well before heading to the shower room. It was first reported that he was in cardiac arrest but other workers expressed concern that he may have suffered from heat related illness as the mill area is not air conditioned. At this time, it is unclear the exact cause of death. UPDATE: New information shows that Mr. DeCanter died of a heart attack while at work and not a heat related issue.


Roofer Killed by Falling Scaffolding

July 19, EAST LIBERTY, PA - 57 year old Greg Linver died when a scaffold tipped over and fell onto him. Linver and his crew were replacing a roof on a home. He was standing on the ground when a piece of scaffolding tipped over, crushing him. Linver was owner of the Lawrenceville based business, Head Roofing.


Migrant Worker Dies in Vermont

July 19, JOHNSON, VT - 40 year old Leonardo Espinabarros Telles of Vera Cruz, MX died Tuesday afternoon after he was caught in a large diesel generator fan and sustained massive trauma wounds to the torso. Telles, working with the Massachusetts based Crystal Rock Amusement company was in the States with a nonagricultural H2B work visa.


Heat May be to Blame For Plant Worker's Death

July 19, TOPEKA, KS - 45 year old Darrell Wayne Davis died Tuesday after collapsing at Topeka Goodyear plant Tuesday. Co-workers say Davis was not feeling well during his shift and that he took a break, then returned to work, but later his partner saw him collapse. Workers say Davis was working in an area of the plant with no ventilation, that commonly gets up to 120 degrees or higher on hot summer days.


Painter Electrocuted at Strip Mall

July 19, PEORIA, IL - 48 year old Robert L. Deatherage was electrocuted after coming into contact with a power line at an East Bluff strip mall Tuesday. Deatherage, a commercial painter, was pulled away from the wire by his supervisor and received life support services on scene but died later at a local hospital.


Two Semi's Crash, One Driver Dies

July 19, JASPER COUNTY, IN - 62 year old Merle Wyatt of Hamilton, OH suffered fatal injuries when his tractor trailer rig collided with another. Wyatt was ejected from the truck and died at the scene. His truck was fully engulfed in flames when emergency crews arrived.


Propane Delivery Driver Dies in Crash

July 19, OAKLEY, ID - 51 year old Michael Dennis James Wolff of Rupert died when his truck went off the roadway and overturned Tuesday. Wolff, who was driving a truck registered to Suburban Propane of Twin Falls, left the west side of the roadway and struck a power pole’s support wires.


Truck Driver Crashes After Medical Issue

July 19, BIG CABIN, OK - 52 year old William G. Hutchinson of Charles City, IA died after suffering a medical condition while driving his tractor trailer near Big Cabin Tuesday. OHP reports that Hutchinson suffered the medical condition and drove off the roadway and into some brush before coming to a stop.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies in Crash With Train

July 18, UNION CITY, OK - 61 year old Jimmie Daniels of Cookeville, TN was killed in a truck-train collision Monday. Investigators say Daniels ran a stop sign and smashed right into the train, causing his rig to go up in flames. Daniels was a contractor who had just picked up a load of bricks from a local factory.


Man Dies in Construction Accident

July 18, PORT KENT, NY - 46 year old Michael Loyer of South Burlington, VT died of injuries caused by heavy machinery in a construction accident in northern New York. Loyer was operating an auger as he worked to install a 3-foot-diameter pipe when the auger became bound in the pipe and Loyer was thrown to the ground and pinned there by the auger. Co-workers worked frantically to free Loyer but were unsuccessful. Loyer was working for Trenchless Technologies of New England, a subcontractor for Steven Fuller Excavation at a railroad bed in Port Kent.


Young Construction Worker Killed on Job

July 18, SIOUX CITY, IA - 23 year old Michael Birdsell died of injuries he suffered on a construction job site Monday morning. According to police, Birdsell was working on a piece of equipment for a private contractor when he was caught in an auger and severely injured. He was taken to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.


Ironworker Falls to His Death

July 18, LAKE ZURICH, IL - 52 year old James Vaughn of DeKalb died Monday after falling from a structure in an industrial park. He was working on a structure when he fell. No other details are available.


Man Killed When Tree Falls on Excavator

July 17, MARBURY, MD - 29 year old Pietro "Pete" Flaim died Sunday while working at a neighbors home to remove a large tree. Flaim died when the large Oak tree fell onto the cab of his excavator. Flaim, owner of Flaim Brothers Construction and Excavating had 15 years of experience in this type of work. Flaim leaves behind a wife, newborn daughter and mother.


Private Security Employee Dies in Vehicle Crash

July 17, MARYSVILLE, CA - 28 year old Scott Jeffrey Bergseng of Rocklin died in a single vehicle accident at Beale Air Force Base. Bergseng, an employee of TW & Co. Inc. was also a Reserve technical sergeant with the 940th Security Forces Squadron at Beale but was on duty for TW & Co., a private security contractor who employs gate security personnel at Beale, at the time of the incident.


Elderly Farmer Dies in Tragic Accident

July 17, ENFIELD, ME - 84 year old Cassuis Fall was discovered dead on his tractor by a relative Sunday. According to police, Fall was crushed between a fallen tree and the steering column of his tractor after it backed into woods on his land on Dodlin Road. Fall, whose family has farmed the land for years, was apparently cultivating potatoes when the tractor began backing into the woods and went up against the tree.


Man Dies in Rice Field Blast

July 16, COLUSA, CA - 43 year old Roberto Ayala of Grimes died when an irrigation pump he switched on exploded. Ayala was working in a rice field near Colusa and when he turned on an irrigation pump at the electrical switch the blast occurred, the Sheriff's Office said. His seven year old son ran two miles home and alerted his family about the blast and that his father was on fire. The cause of the explosion and blaze is under investigation by multiple agencies, including Cal/OSHA.


Man Dies in Fall From Radio Tower

July 16, HOT SPRINGS, SD - 54 year old Tim Anderson, a volunteer worker helping the Amateur Radio Club dismantle a radio tower died in a fall. Anderson and another man were seriously injured Saturday when a communications tower they were helping dismantle was blown over by a gust of wind, according to Fall River County emergency manager Frank Maynard. Anderson later died at a hospital in Rapid City.


Freight Worker Crushed Under Falling Crate

July 15, SAN ANTONIO, TX - 49 year old Marissa Garcia received fatal head injuries when he was crushed under a falling crate at Con-Way Freight warehouse. A forklift operator had just set down on a 7-foot-tall, 1,500-pound crate on the loading dock floor after removing it from a tractor-trailer. The operator noticed the crate was wobbling and he yelled a warning to Garcia, who was nearby examining a load of pipe, but she was unable to move out of the way quickly enough to avoid being pinned when the crate toppled.


Driving Instructor Dies in Crash

July 15, WILLIAMSBURG, VA - 56 year old Shirley Martin died when the car she was riding in crashed into a tree and overturned. An employee for the Department of Motor Vehicles was working as an instructor administering a road skills test when the vehicle's driver left the roadway, struck a tree and overturned in a field. Martin was airlifted to a hospital where she died.


Shipyard Worker Dies of Probable Electrocution

July 14, AVONDALE, LA - 55 year old Geraldo Perez-Aquino died Thursday at Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard. Perez-Aquino was an electrician and worked at the shipyard business since 2007. The exact cause of death is unknown but responders to the scene believe he was electrocuted.


Logger Dies in Equipment Incident

July 13, SULLIVAN, VT - 63 year old Guy Drouin of Norton, a logger for H.C. Haynes of Winn, MA, died in a logging incident Wednesday. Drouin was killed when a tree kicked up into the cab of the skidder he was operating. An OSHA investigation has been opened.












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Deputy Shot and Killed Attempting Arrest

July 14, COLUMBIA, SC - 39 year old Roger Rice, a Deputy for Laurens County Sheriff Department, was shot and killed by a man who was wanted for killing his girlfriend hours earlier, authorities said Thursday. Rice was shot in the chest just above his bullet proof vest. The suspect was shot in the leg before being arrested.


Third Injured Worker of Hoeganaes Plant Explosion Has Died

July 14, GALLATIN, TN - Fred Tuttle was injured in a flash fire of leaking hydrogen gas from a corroded pipe at the Hoeganaes Gallatin plant on May 27. Today he passed away from those injuries. The same fire also killed two other co-workers of Mr. Tuttle. Five workers have died at the Gallatin plant since January.


Logging Incident Kills Worker

July 13, FLUVANNA COUNTY, VA - 56 year old Stephen E. Moore died Wednesday while working near Scottsville for Tapscott Brothers Logging. Moore suffered fatal injuries when he was pinned between a forklift and another piece of machinery. Other details as to cause are not listed.


Worker Killed When Forklift Flips

July 13, MOKENA, IL - 35 year old Jose R. Barrera-Ruiz of Aurora died when the forklift he was driving flipped over and landed on him. Barrera-Ruiz was working for Brickman Landscaping moving equipment with a forklift. For some reason the forklift started to flip, ejected the worker and landed on him. OSHA will be handling the investigation.



Construction Worker Dies in Trench Cave In

July 13, BROOKLYN PARK, MN - 53 year old Jerome Thomas Bruce of Cambridge died after he was buried in a trench cave in and then suffered a heart attack. Bruce was doing water-proofing work on a Public Storage building foundation at the bottom of a trench. The trench was about eight feet deep, and with almost no warning, the wall of dirt above him collapsed, burying Bruce up to his shoulders. He was trapped for about 20 minutes and then went into cardiac arrest.


Man Dies From Fall

July 13, ZIMMERMAN, MN - 43 year old Jeffrey Fiereck died of injuries resulting from a fall. Fiereck was installing a DirectTV satellite dish at a residence when he apparently fell from the roof or a ladder. He was airlifted to a hospital where he later died.


Fall Into Grinder Machine Causes Death

July 13, LAWTON, OK - 26 year old Michael Raper died due to injuries he received from a fall into a meat grinder. Raper was working for the Bar S plant in Lawton where he was in charge of cleaning the machinery. "He slipped and went into the machine. He was still conscious at the time," Diane Ferris said. "So I can imagine the agony he was in, and he lost both of his legs in this accident." Raper was due to marry Ferris' niece in a few months. He turned 26 years old on Monday.


Heat Stroke Claims Life of Worker

July 13, TOWN CREEK, AL - 45 year old Cleophus Alexander Woods died Wednesday after suffering a heat stroke two days earlier. He died at a local hospital. Woods' daughter says her father and others were in a field on Monday drilling holes for fence posts. He got too hot and took a break, then went to a nearby house to do drywall work. He became sick and was taken to a hospital.


Security Guard Shot to Death Inside Vehicle

July 13, ROANOKE, VA - 46 year old Steve Edwin Orange Jr. of Vinton was found dead of a gunshot wound inside his SUV while on duty. Orange was hired by Afton Gardens Apartment complex through a private security company. Police responded to a report of shots fired at the complex and found Orange. Specific circumstances of the incident are not clear.


Two Dies in Tractor Trailer Rollover

July 13, DOTHAN, AL - 54 year old Bruce Reeder and 48 year old Donna Reeder of Youngstown, FL were killed when the tractor trailer Mr. Reeder was driving ran off the roadway and overturned. Both died at the scene. Neither were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.


Farmer Dies After Being Knocked Off Tractor

July 12, HARVARD, IL - 66 year old Mancel Beard was killed after the tractor he was driving was struck by a car. Beard was driving his farm tractor to another field when a car driven by a woman attempted to pass him as he was attempting to make a turn. He was knocked off the tractor. He died at a local hospital.


Driver Killed in Semi Crash

July 12, WYTHE COUNTY, VA - 41 year old Joey Langley died after his tractor trailer crashed. Police say he may have suffered a medical problem just before the truck ran off the roadway. No other details are available.


Disposal Truck Driver Killed in Fiery Wreck With Train

July 12, NORTH BERWICK, ME - 35 year old Peter Barnum of New Hampshire was killed Tuesday when a desperate attempt to stop his truck failed and he slammed into a train. Barnum, an employee for Tirumvirate Environmental, was hauling trash to a landfill when the train crossing warning lights came on and gates began to close. Barnum locked up the brakes but was unable to stop the truck, which was torn apart by the impact and a resulting explosion killed Barnum and charred the truck and parts of the train.


Worker Dies From Fall off Disposal Truck

July 12, METHUNE, MA - 28 year old Keimani Bell of Dorchester was killed after falling from the back of a trash collection truck. The truck was in the process of backing up when Bell lost his footing, slipped and fell from the back and under the wheels of the truck. Bell was an employee for F.W.Russell & Sons of Somerville.


Semi Driver Killed in Highway Crash

July 12, SACRAMENTO, CA - 44 year old Michael Mathis of Missouri was killed when he lost control of his tractor trailer. According to reports Mathis was pulling a trailer loaded with limestone with his brakes failed. He lost control of the rig, sending it into oncoming traffic, into an embankment where it flipped over and broke apart.


Ice Cream Truck Driver Shot to Death

July 12, DAYTON, OH - 60 year old Carl Banks was shot and killed in his ice cream truck. Just moments after selling ice cream to children he was shot. His truck was moving and it struck a house on Midway Avenue. At first police responded to a vehicle accident, but then discovered Banks had been shot. Homicide detectives are investigating.



Worker Dies First Day on the Job

July 11, EAST GLACIER, MT - 53 year old Scott Randell Burnett of Arlee died after he fell from the Two Medicine Bridge building project Monday. Burnett fell through a 15-inch gap on the bridge platform where an I-beam was about to be installed. There was only a piece of wood over the gap at the time. Burnett stepped on the wood, which caused it to break. It was his first day on the job and had only been there about an hour. It is unclear who Burnett worked for but the project general contractor is Wadsworth Construction Co. of Draper, UT.


Worker Collapses, Dies of Natural Causes

July 11, ROCK HILL, SC - 39 year old Jonathan White collapsed at the site of a Rock Hill operations site Monday. White was found unresponsive by co-workers at the Anderson Road facility. He was transported to Piedmont Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Cause of death is reported to be from natural causes and medical related. He was a Maintenance Superintendent I for Manchester Wastewater Treatment Plant.



Officer Shot Assisting Task Force

July 11, TERRE HAUTE, IN - Officer Brent Long was shot and killed and his K-9 was injured Monday as they were assisting a fugitive task force. The team was serving a warrant and while several people exited the house, the fugitive did not. Almost immediately upon entering the home, the suspect opened fire. Long was transported to a local hospital where he died. His K-9 was taken to a local veterinarian where he is recovering.


Woman Killed in Farming Accident

July 11, SEILING, OK - 34 year old Theadora Hill was killed when a water tank she was attempting to move fell on her. According to the sheriff’s office, Hill was attempting to pick up a 2,400-pound tank filled with water and Roundup with a tractor. The tank apparently was not on the tractor fully, so she tried to push it back on and the tank fell on her.


Worker Falls Into and Buried in Trench Collapse

July 11, TELLURIDE, CO - 48 year old Frank J. Panucci of Florence died when he fell into an open trench and then was buried by rain soak debris. Panucci was standing atop boards spanning the hole and measuring down to the bottom when the lip of the hole gave way, sending him downward along with the plywood he was standing on, according to a sheriff's spokesman. The walls of the hole soon caved in, sealing him below. Panucci was working for Evergreen Cassions of Fort Lupton, contracted to Tri State Generation & Transmission.


Contractor Falls Through Roof He Was Repairing

July 11, SUNDERLAND, MA - 54 year old Ronald Mistarka of Hatfield died when he fell through the roof of a business who was being repaired after a fire. Mistarka, owner of Mistarka Home Improvement, was working with a crew on the roof when he fell. It is unclear what caused Mistarka to fall. He died at the hospital.



Another Kentucky Coal Mine Death

July 11, INEZ, KY - 26 year old Ryan K. Thatcher of Salyersville died of crushing head injuries inside the Martin County Coal Corp. Voyager No.7 coal mine near Inez. Initial reports indicate Thatcher was operating a track locomotive pulling two car loads of supplies in the mine when the accident occurred. There were no apparent witnesses to the accident. The mine remains closed when an investigation is conducted.


Worker Killed in Construction Incident

July 11, BORDENTOWN, NJ - 51 year old Carmen DiLuzio of Wilmington, DE was killed when a several thousand pound concrete barrier fell onto him at a construction site on the New Jersey Turnpike. DiLuzio, a driver for Tipton Trucking, backed a flatbed truck next to a crane that was positioned to unload the barriers. As he unlatched the straps and binders that were holding the barriers, one of them fell from the truck and crushed DiLuzio under it.


One Officer Dies When Two Police Cruisers Collide

July 10, ALHAMBRA, CA - 26 year old Officer Ryan Stringer died of injuries he sustained in a two vehicle accident Sunday. Stringer and an officer in another cruiser were responding to a call of a possible robbery when their cruisers collided at an intersection. Both officers were transported to the hospital where Stringer later died and the other officer is in stable condition.


Double Fatality as Semi Truck Crashes

July 10, EL PASO, TX - 40 year old Renato Rodas and 48 year old Virginia Moreno were killed when the bobtail tractor truck Rodas was driving hit a fence and rolled over. For some reason Rodas lost control of the truck, which slid sideways across the right lane of traffic and the shoulder, going into a chainlink fence. Rodas and his passenger, Moreno, both died at the scene. It is unclear is Moreno was an employee.


Night Time Road Construction Results in Workers' Death

July 9, KENNEWICK, WA - 51 year old Brian Lacy of Terrebonne, OR was killed on a road construction project Saturday night. Work to replace old asphalt on Highway 395 was under way when a dump truck in the construction zone backed up and hit Lacy. Authorities say the incident appears to be an accident and that inattention was the cause. Lacy worked for a subcontractor for the general contractor, Inland Asphalt of Richland.


Youth Street Racing Cause Truck Driver's Death

July 9, HARPER WOODS, MI - 44 year old Thayalan Vinasithamby of Brampton, Ontario Canada was killed when his semi crashed into a grocery store in Harper Woods. Police say a teen with an invalid driver license was racing another driver and collided with Vinasithamby's truck. The truck traveled up an embankment and then crashed into a grocery store and burst into flames.


Texas Officer Killed by Fleeing Suspect

July 8, BEAUMONT, TX - 36 year old Officer Bryan Mitchell Hebert died Friday while trying to stop a suspect from fleeing. Hebert had stopped his patrol car Friday and was retrieving road spikes from his trunk to try to stop the fleeing SUV when the vehicle struck the patrol car head-on, pushing it into the officer.


Worker Killed in Grain Plant Explosion

July 8, GREENWOOD, MS - Kendall Jasper was severely burned in a grain explosion June 27 at Delta Oil Mill. He died of his injuries July 8. Another worker was also burned and is still in critical condition. Delta Oil Mill has been the site of two more grain fires since Jasper and Bates were injured but no one was injured in those fires. The exact circumstances of what caused the explosion are listed.



Firefighter Suffers Heart Attack While on Call

July 8, LOUISVILLE, KY - 49 year old Charles "Sparky" Sparks collapsed Thursday from a heart attack while at the scene of a house fire. He was part of the Columbia-Adair County Fire Department. Sparks was stabilized and transported to a local hospital before being flown to University Hospital where he died Friday. Sparks was also a deputy state fire marshal and a state fire rescue training instructor. He leaves behind a wife and 15-year-old son.


Police Officer Shot During Domestic Dispute Call

July 8, BISMARK, ND - 32 year old Sgt. Steve Kenner was shot and killed during a domestic dispute call Friday. He was responding to a call about a man threatening a woman with a knife. Officers found the suspect sitting in a van and as they approached the van, the suspect opened fire and shot Kenner.


Man Dies of Head Trauma From Fall Off Roof

July 8, FAYETTEVILLE, NC - 57 year old Albert Reeves died Friday after he fell from the roof of a business in a small shopping center. Authorities say he was not wearing any protective harness and fell about 15 feet to the pavement, hitting his head.


Utilities Worker Dies in Work Site Incident

July 8, BROOKINGS, SD - 45 year old Paul Jonas, a Brookings Municiple Utilities employee, died after an incident involving a saw he was using to cut a water line. Jonas was cutting the water line when the saw he was operating kicked back and he was severely inured. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.


Man Killed in Construction Site Incident

July 9, MANITOWOC, WI - 36 year old Jacob Inocencio died of injuries he suffered in a construction site incident. Inocencio died of blunt force trauma from being pinned between a truck and a dumpster when the truck backed up and pinned him against the dumpster. He was taken to a local hospital where he died.


Elderly Farmer Dies in Farming Accident

July 8, MIDDLETON, MO - 83 year old Samuel H. Mudd died Friday when he fell from his tractor and was hit by the piece of equipment he was towing. Troopers say it appears Mudd had a medical emergency that caused him to lose control of the tractor.


Police Officer Dies During Training Exercise

July 7, SANFORD, NC - 55 year old Officer Elieser Colonroche died while rappelling during a training demonstration. Colonroche was participating in a training demonstration Tuesday at Central Carolina Community College. He was rappelling down a tower when he crashed into it. He was taken to a local hospital where he died of extensive internal bleeding.


Tree Trimmed Killed by Fallen Tree

July 7, RICHWOOD, OH - 64 year old Charles R. Ellis died when a tree he was trying to cut down fell onto him. Ellis and an employee were trimming trees in a wooded area when one tree gave them some trouble. The employee went to get other equipment when he heard the tree fall. He found his boss, Ellis, pinned underneath. Ellis died at the scene.



Road Construction Worker Killed by Equipment

July 6, ST. GEORGE, UT - 43 year old Charles "Chuck" D. Grundy was struck by the bucket of a front end loader and killed Wednesday. Grundy, who worked for Sunroc, was working on a project on I-15. The driver of the front end loader was working on uneven terrain with the bucket raised, and the driver was not able to see the victim in front of him, according to UHP. Grundy had his back to the loader and was on his cell phone when the loader struck him in the head, knocked him down and ran over him.


Farmer Killed in Equipment Accident

July 6, WAUBUM, MN - 82 year old Raynold Guenther died after becoming pinned between pieces of equipment on his farm. Guenther had fallen off his tractor and got trapped between the tractor and hay baler. His family says they're not sure whether he had a heart attack or fell asleep. He was found by his daughter Lori, who held him until he passed as he didn't want her to leave him to go get help.


Worker Killed During Robbery Attempt

July 5, CHARLOTTE, NC - 42 year old Wuilson Helvan Reyes Murilla was shot to death Tuesday at the La Acapulquena grocery store after police say he was involved in an altercation with two would-be robbers. Police said he died at the scene.



Grain Elevator Worker Electrocuted

July 5, METCALF, IL - 20 year old Tanner Michael Flach of Montrose was electrocuted Tuesday when the lift he was operating made contact with a power line near a grain elevator. Flach had been involved in cleaning the southeast elevator for painting at the Total Grain Marketing facility in Metcalf when he attempted to lower a lift to fetch additional equipment. As it descended, the lift came into contact with the lower of several power lines. Another worker shouted for help but Flach died at the scene.


Double Semi Crash Kills One

July 5, EAST HAZEL CREST, IL - 35 year old Franklin Housen was killed when his tractor trailer and that of another driver crashed Tuesday. The exact circumstances as to cause and manner of the accident are not clear.


Truck Driver Killed in Crash

July 4, JUNIUS, NY - 49 year old John Marton of Toronto, Canada, was killed when his tractor trailer crashed. According to police, his truck veered off the highway, crossed the median and both westbound lanes before coming to a stop in a field in the town of Junius in Geneva County, state troopers said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.


Veteran Roofer Dies From Fall

June 30, SAN ANTONIO, TX - 48 year old Pedro Vazquez died Thursday from injuries he sustained in a fall June 28 at a work site at Randolph Air Force Base. Vazquez, an employee for Herzing Roofing, who had done roofing his entire working life, slipped while trying to unfasten a rope attached to a harness. An investigation into the cause and manner of the incident is ongoing.













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Industrial Incident Claims Life of Worker

July 8, PITTSBURG, PA - 51 year old Timothy Mingo died as the result of an industrial incident at a railroad supply facility. Mingo worked for McConway & Torley Railcar Products in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburg. According to police, Mingo was impaled by a large piston when he was on an elevated platform next to the machine. Investigators were not immediately sure if Mingo fell or got caught in the machine. OSHA will be investigating.


Worker Pinned in Dump Truck Incident

July 8, COLUMBIA, MO - William Bell, a seasonal worker for Columbia's Parks and Recreations, died Friday in an incident involving a dump truck. Bell was working alone Friday morning pouring gravel at an access point to Columbia's MKT nature and fitness trail. Fire department officials say Bell was caught between the cab and the bed of the truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.



Utah Firefighter Dies Fighting Texas Fire

July 7, MINERAL WELLS, TX - 24 year old Cabel Hamm, a member of Utah's Bureau of Land Management's elite Bonneville Interagency Hotshot Crew based in Salt Lake City, UT, died Thursday afternoon while working on the Devil's Hollow Fire near Mineral Wells. Hamm collapsed Thursday afternoon in the extreme heat while fighting the Texas blaze. The rest of his 20 member crew was working side by side with him at the time. They rushed him to medical care.



Truck Driver Dies When Truck Overturns

July 7, SOLON, OH - 43 year old Sandor R. Szachury of Streetsboro was killed when his truck overturned several times on Route 422. The cement truck, owned by Associated Associates Ready Mix Concrete, rolled over several times, trapping Szachury. He had to be extricated from the vehicle and died on scene.



Employee Trapped Inside Burning Store

July 6, LA PORTA, IA - 53 year old Colleen M. Paradine died when the convenience store she worked at caught fire. She was trapped in the store after the fire broke out in the early morning hours. Firefighters pulled her from the burning store but she died later at a local hospital.




Supervisor Killed in Workplace Shooting

July 5, LOUISVILLE, KY - 53 year old Andre Johnson was shot to death Tuesday in a workplace shooting. Johnson, a supervisor for Louisvill Gas & Electric, was shot by a 52 year old employee before turning the gun on himself. Details of the reason for the shooting are not clear.


Maintenance Worker Dies From Fall at Refinery

July 5, WOOD RIVER, IL - 38 year old Bradley Edmund of Taylorsville died when he fell from a scaffold while performing maintenance. He fell from a large tank at the ConocoPhillips Refinery at Wood River.



Worker Dies in Street Sweeper Incident

July 5, NORWOOD, MA - 58 year old Patrick J. McDonald of Penacook, NH died of unspecified circumstances involving the Bay State Sweeping (of Everett) street sweeper he was working with. A local district attorney spokesman said McDonald was “discovered by someone in that area apparently wedged in the machinery of the street sweeper that he had been operating.”


Flash Fire Kills One, Injures One

July 5, NASHVILLE, TN - 28 year old Shawn Allen Austin died from injuries he sustained in a flash fire July 2. Austin was one of two workers injured Saturday at the John W. McDougall Co., which does custom fabrication of sheet metal. They were transported to a local hospital where Austin died Tuesday. The state Occupational Health and Safety division will also investigate.




Carnival Worker Dies Taking Down Ride

July 5, SAND LAKE, MI - 41 year old Steven McCann of Jackson died while taking down a carnival ride at an Independence Day weekend festival. It is unclear if he was electrocuted or died as a result of a fall. McCann was standing atop the ride and apparently using a wooden post to push the power line away as the ride was lowered. The incident is being investigated.



Driver Dies When Semi Rolls Over Him

July 5, NORTH JACKSON, OH - 43 year old Raymond Barnum of Geneva was killed when he lost control of his tractor trailer and was ejected from the vehicle. Barnum lost control of the truck, which swerved to both sides of the road before hitting a guard rail. That impact caused Barnum to be ejected from the vehicle which then rolled on top of him. He died at the scene.


Tractor Trailer Driver Dies as Truck Overturns

July 4, COOK COUNTY, GA - 57 year old John Edward Cornwell of Circleville, OH died when his tractor trailer crashed. Police don't know why the crash happened by said he was headed south on I-75 when he ran off the road, hit a ditch, pulled back onto the roadway and overturned.


Store Owner Dies in Fire

July 4, WESTON, MO - George Treese, owner of Old Geezers Mantiques, died in a fire at his store Monday. Authorities said an electrical problem could be to blame for the blaze.


Deputy Crashes During Four County Pursuit

July 3, BROOKSVILLE, FL - 35 year old John C. Mecklenburg, a deputy for the Hernando County Sheriff Dept. was killed when his patrol car crashed into a tree and burst into flames. Deputies spotted a driver going the wrong direction on a highway and gave chase, going through four counties. Mecklenburg was taken to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.


Deputy Shot and Killed in Domestic Incident

July 3, MEMPHIS, TN - 39 year old Officer Timothy Warren, Memphis Police Department, was shot and killed while responding to a domestic situation Sunday. Officers responded to a downtown hotel where they encountered the suspect, who also shot and killed another person and was himself wounded.


Injured Sheriff Deputy Dies

July 3, ATLANTA, GA - 63 year old Deputy Dee Stewart died Sunday of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident June 23. Stewart was on patrol and was struck by another vehicle when he pulled into a lane of traffic. He sustained a traumatic head injury.


Farmer Killed in Equipment Incident

July 3, CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO - 32 year old Joshua Goodin was killed Sunday while using a hay baling machine. Authorities say Goodin got off the tractor, possibly to check on some equipment. A neighbor who stopped by to talk to Goodin discovered him inside the baler and called for help.


Worker Dies in Construction Incident

July 3, SOUTHINGTON, CT - Craig Abendroth, an employee for Zysk Brothers, died Sunday of injuries he sustained in an incident June 30. Abendroth was struck by and run over by a pay loader machine driven by a co-worker. He suffered severe injuries and was taken to a local hospital.


Volunteer "Miller" Dies After Fall

July 3, CLINTON, IA - 74 year old Ronald Venema died Sunday of injuries due to a fall last week. Venema was working at a windmill at Windmill Cultural Center, closing down the windmill Friday when he fell inside the mill. He suffered head trauma when he fell.


Store Owner Shot to Death

July 2, PLAINFIELD, NJ - 47 year old Eduardo Leaty was killed when an unknown assailant shot him and an employee inside his Leaty Grocery Store. Police do not have any leads or motives at this time but an investigation continues.


Worker Dies Performing Maintenance on Ride

July 2, ORLANDO, FL - 30 year old Justin W. Honeycutt died while performing maintenance duties on a ride at Magical Midway. He was wearing a safety harness and was climbing the ride when it started to move. The ride's counter weight struck him according to witnesses.


Tree Trimmer Dies of Electrocution

July 2, DENVER, CO - 26 year old Byron Sosa, a native of Guatemala living in Denver, was electrocuted while working to trim trees for an unidentified company. Another employee reported hearing a loud popping sound and saw smoke. Sosa died at the scene.


Man Dies After Being Pinned by Bull

July 1, FARMINGTON, ME - 55 year old Ernest "Ernie" Bubar died Friday after being knocked down and pinned by a bull. According to the owners of Sandy River Farms, it appears Bubar was attempting to herd the bull into a pasture when it became angry and knocked Burbar to the ground with its head, holding him down and stomping on him. Burbar was able to use his cell phone to call for help but he died of internal injuries.



Driver Dies When Truck Slams Into Another

June 30, KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC - 44 year old Billy Dean Brady Jr. died when the truck he was driving slammed into the back of tanker truck. Brady failed to slow his semi down after an previous accident had slowed traffic and drove into the back of the tanker truck. The impact caused his truck to burst into flames.


City Employee Dies of Sudden Heart Attack

June 30, BETHLEHEM, PA - 58 year old Alan Calvo Jr., a Bethlehem City inspector, died suddenly of a heart attack while on a construction site at Lehigh University. He was photographing a connection contractors were making to a storm-water system when he had a massive heart attack and fell into a 10-foot ditch. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.


Plant Incident Kills Contract Worker

June 29, EAST BALTIMORE, MD - 28 year old Joshua Cunningham of Chase died in an industrial incident at the Coca-Cola Bottling Plant in East Baltimore. Cunningham was a contract worker working at the plant. It appears a jack that had been placed at the front of a trailer gave way and fell on him. The incident is being investigated.


Mine Roof Collapses, Kills KY Miner

June 29, PATHFORK, KY - 46 year old David A. Partin of Pineville was killed when the roof of a mine collapsed onto him. Partin was working as a continuous-haulage belt person at the Manalapan P1 mine at Pathfork when the roof fell onto him. Partin is the second miner to die in 2011 in a mining incident.


Two Killed in Truck Accident

June 29, WURTLAND, KY - 48 year old Wesley A. Walker of Olive Hill died when his truck, owned by J&W Recycling, crashed in a head on collision with another semi near Wurtland. The driver of the other truck also died but has not been identified. Upon impact, one of the truck's caught fire which engulfed both trucks.


Farmer Dies in Tractor Accident

June 29, UNADILLA, NY - 70 year old Alfred Valardi died Wednesday in an accident involving his tractor. An employee found Valardi pinned under a piece of farm equipment and called authorities. Sheriff's deputies say Vilardi apparently was working on the tractor and attempted to get off the vehicle while it was running and still in gear. Deputies say the tractor lurched forward, knocking him off. He was then run over by the equipment.


Disposal Truck Driver Killed in Crash With Semi

June 29, YUBA-SUTTER, CA - 43 year old Gary Wayne Mathis was killed when his disposal truck was hit by a semi hauling two tractors. According to preliminary police reports, witnesses say the semi began to spin out of control and collided with the disposal truck. Mathis died at the scene and the semi driver was transported to a local hospital.


Tanker Driver Dies in Fiery Crash

June 28, WARM SPRINGS, OR - 54 year old David Lee Spooner of Vancouver, WA died when the fuel tanker he was driving crashed and caught fire. An employee for Cascade Petroleum Transportation Inc. out of north Portland, Spooner was pulling a tanker trailer loaded with 8,300 gallons of aviation fuel was eastbound uphill on Highway 26 when for an unknown reason he hit and broke through a guardrail, went down a 200 foot embankment and caught fire.


Cab Driver Shot to Death

June 28, STATESVILLE, NC - 49 year old Richard Anthony Jones died after being shot in the head by a passenger. After being shot, the vehicle flipped over and crashed. Police are searching for his known killer.


Farmer Killed When Hit by Tractor

June 27, TRAFALGAR, IN - 57 year old Don Turpin was killed when he was apparently hit and run over by his tractor. When he did not return after several hours, his family went looking for him. They found him on the ground with tires mark on his body and into a nearby field where they found the tractor stuck in the mud.


Man Killed When Hit by Falling Tree

June 27, IDAHO CITY, ID - 54 year old Robert Lynn Butterfield of Pocatello was killed in an incident when he was hit by a falling tree. Butterfield was working with a tree service hired by Idaho Power to cut down trees near power lines. After cutting a tree that didn't fall, they made another cut which brought the tree down on Butterfield. He died on the scene.


Tree Trimmer Died of Possible Electrocution

June 27, SAGUACHE, CO - 25 year old Jerod A. Chisholm of Monte Vista died when he was most likely electrocuted while trimming trees at Blue Water Hacienda. Emergency workers were called to the scene at and found Chisholm unconscious on top of the self-propelled platform he and another worker were using to trim trees. Another worker was also injured. According to police the platform the men were on was about one inch from a power line.


Tour Bus Driver Dies in Crash

June 27, PITTSBURGH, PA - 39 year old Bo Hua Tan of New York City, a tour bus driver for New Oriental Tours, died when the bus he was driving slammed into the back of a flatbed tractor trailer near Pittsburgh. Many of the bus' passengers were injured and had to be treated at local hospitals.







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