Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

Worker killed in accident at Lavansville business

Lavansville, PA — 25-year-old Friedens man was killed Monday morning while working at a Lavansville business. Somerset County Coroner Wallace Miller said he pronounced Joseph Baker dead at 9:04 a.m. due to blunt force trauma to the head at G-S Products.   Miller said Baker got caught between two pieces of metal while working at the business, which manufactures mobile solid waste and recycling equipment. “A piece of machinery trapped him,” Miller said. “It was a freak accident.”

Tree worker dies in Trumbull

TRUMBULL, CT — The treeworker killed after falling about 45 feet during a tree removal has been identified as Eris Banegas-Gomes. Gomes, 28, died on Saturday at Bridgeport Hospital, police said in a statement. His family was notified on the day of the incident and was at the hospital, Lt. Keith Golding of Trumbull Police said on Monday. Gomes, of Bridgeport, was removing a tree from a property on Pinewood Trail on Saturday morning, police said in a statement. He was wearing a safety harness and climbed up about 45 feet and was removing the top potion of the tree when it broke at its base, falling to the ground.

Voith employee dies after being crushed by 45,000 pound paper roller

WEST MONROE, La. – (4/14/18) — West Monroe Police confirm that 43-year-old Toby Ray died after being crushed by paper roller.  Police said they received a call about a traumatic injury around 6:50 a.m. Saturday morning at Voith. Officials report that Ray was securing a 45,000 pound roller when it fell on him and crushed him. They do not suspect any foul play and all evidence has now been submitted to the coroners office.

City worker killed, two others injured in crash on I-77

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — One Charleston city employee was killed and two other were injured in a crash on I-77 Saturday afternoon. At about 12 p.m. Saturday afternoon a Charleston garbage truck crashed on I-77 near the I-64, ejecting all three passengers who were in the truck.

Construction worker dead after falling from bridge in Solebury

Solebury, PA — Police and OSHA are looking into a fatal fall at a construction site in Solebury that occurred Friday morning. A man died Friday when he fell from a bridge in Solebury while on a construction job, according to police. Solebury police did not release the man’s name but said he was employed by Ettore Ventresca & Sons, a concrete and masonry company based in Warrington. The incident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. when officers responded to a report that a man had fallen from Bucks County Bridge No. 162 on Street Road between Pidcock Creek Road and Ridge Road.

Idaho truck driver killed in Nebraska blizzard

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. – The Nebraska State Patrol said at least one person was killed and scores of stranded drivers were rescued as a late-season blizzard crippled travel in western Nebraska. The patrol said 61-year-old Rollo Ward, of Idaho Falls, died at the scene of the crash Friday when the semitrailer he was driving eastbound on Interstate 80 went out of control on the snow-covered roadway and hit another semi previously stranded in the blizzard. The crash happened near Chappell in western Nebraska.

Construction worker electrocuted in Johnstown identified

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A man who was killed after being electrocuted Thursday in Johnstown has been identified. Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees identified the man as 30-year-old Christopher J. Diaz, of Butler, Pennsylvania. Lees said Diaz died of electrocution and deemed the manner accidental. Diaz was working for Insight Pipe LLC. on a sewer project on DuPont Street in Johnstown Thursday when he was electrocuted around 10:30 a.m.

WHITESTOWN POLICE IDENTIFY WHITESBORO OFFICER KILLED IN ON-DUTY CRASH

Whitestown, NY — The Whitestown Police Department has identified the police officer who was killed in an accident on Oriskany Boulevard Wednesday night. Officer Kevin Crossley was in his Whitesboro Police patrol car when his vehicle was struck by a Chevrolet Avalanche at the intersection of Oriskany Boulevard and Westmoreland Street in Whitesboro, just before 8 p.m.

Police officer shot and killed serving warrant in Cape Cod town

Barnstable, MA — A police officer was shot and killed Thursday afternoon while serving a warrant in the Cape Cod town of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Yarmouth police officer Sean Gannon, 32, was one of a number of officials from Yarmouth, Barnstable and the Massachusetts state police who came under fire when serving a warrant in the Barnstable village of Marston Mills, Massachusetts, at about 2:30 p.m. Gannon was shot and rushed to Cape Cod Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe and Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson.

Crane worker falls over 100 feet to his death

ANNAPOLIS, Md (WMAR) – A man is dead after falling over 100 feet in Annapolis. The victim was reportedly operating a crane, assisting in the rewiring of flag poles at the World War II Memorial located in the 1900 block of Governor Ritchie Highway. Officials say a hoist cable broke, causing the worker to fall to his death.

Bonnell worker identified

Newnan, GA — The Bonnell Aluminum employee who was killed in an accident at the Newnan plant on Wednesday has been identified as Tyre Douglas Turner, according to Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk. Turner, 45, of Lanett, Ala., was working on a metal oven door when it “suddenly and unexpectedly fell, pinning his legs beneath it,” said Neill Bellamy, spokesperson for Bonnell.  It’s the second major incident at the plant in the past few years. On June 29, 2016, an explosion in the casting house rocked the plant, causing some injuries but no fatalities. An investigation determined that the explosion was caused when water came in contact with molten aluminum.

Driver killed in Nolan County rollover identified as East Texas man

NOLAN COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A truck driver was killed during a rollover wreck on I-20 in Nolan County Thursday morning has been identified, according to the Department of Public Safety. Michael Norris Hefley, a 59-year-old man of De Kalb, was the lone person involved in the crash in the eastbound lanes of the interstate near mile marker 251 around 8:00 a.m.  It’s unknown what caused his truck to rollover, but DPS officials have reported that Hefley’s vehicle was traveling East on IH 20 where it veered into the center median, struck the cable system and turned over onto its left side.

Investigation continues as murdered restaurant worker mourned in Irvington

Arkansas highway worker dies in accident on the job

LITTLE ROCK, AR (KATV) — An Arkansas Department of Transportation maintenance worker died in an accident on the job Monday. Department spokesman Danny Straessle identified the worker as James Kirk Watts. He said Watts, 43, was driving a road roller on Arkansas 27 south of Canaan when the vehicle fell into a ditch, overturned and killed him. Straessle said Watts had worked for the department for about 13 years. Straessle said the department will review its safety rules and speak to witnesses as part of an investigation of Watts’ death.

Modesto City Worker Dies of Electrocution While on the Job

MODESTO, CA — A City of Modesto employee was electrocuted while on the job and city officials confirm the employee of six years has died. It was a tragic work-related accident that took the life of Tyrone Hairston on Floyd and Roselle avenues. Now, candles and flowers stand near where Cal/OSHA says he was electrocuted while installing a street light on Monday. In a statement to FOX40, the City of Modesto spokesman said Hairston was proud of his work as an electrician assistant and had a high work ethic.

Death of local construction worker serves as work zone safety reminder

ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI (WNEM) – Justin and Amy Vallad were expecting their second child and settling into their new home in Standish near the Saginaw Bay when unexpected tragedy changed things forever.   Justin Vallad, a 27-year-old construction worker, was killed March 10, 2012 while in a work zone on I-94 at 12 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores.

Semi-truck driver killed in Suwannee County crash identified

SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) – A semi-truck driver died when his vehicle left I-10 on Thursday.  The Suwannee Fire Rescue said crews were on the scene of the crash on I-10 near mile-marker 272 (Live Oak exit).  The Florida Highway Patrol said the accident, which happened around 5:11 p.m., blocked all eastbound lanes for a while. According to Florida Highway Patrol, John Grubbs was driving down I-10, when for an unknown reason, he swerved across the median and and his semi collided with several trees, before catching on fire.

Man killed in Clearfield industrial accident identified