Weekly Toll: Three Weeks of Death on the Job

California — The statewide wildfires that are raging across California have taken another tragic turn. A firefighter from Washington, who was in California to help battle the state’s Woolsey fire, died Thursday after he was struck by a vehicle. His cause of death is listed as chest trauma. The firefighter, whose name has not been released, was on loan from the the South Kitsap Fire Department. A spokesman said he had been on the job for more than 21 years.

Lynx bus driver dead, another injured after one bus crashes into another, police say

ORLANDO, Fla. – One Lynx bus rear-ended another, crushing and killing a driver standing between the two. The bus that was broken down didn’t have its hazards on, officials said.  The crash happened not far from the bus yard  on West Princeton Street, east of John Young Parkway. Union officials said this crash didn’t need to happen. The union president said that bus was supposed to be on hold and it has broken down on other drivers and needed a jump out in the field. Officials also said Lynx is in talks about issuing reflective vests to bus drivers. “The first bus just died out and there was no reflective,” said union president, Ismael Rivera. The driver of that bus, 59-year-old Prosper Nazaire, got out and went to the back of the vehicle near the engine compartment, according to Rivera.

TRUCK DRIVER KILLED IN I 59 HEAD ON COLLISION OF TRACTOR TRAILERS

Dade County, FL — Dade County Sheriff Ray Cross says one driver is dead and the other under arrest. The driver of the second truck heading south was killed.  The driver of the northbound truck that crossed the median is being facing several charges.

Arrest made in deadly armed robbery at Vidalia shop

VIDALIA, Ga. — Toombs County sheriff’s deputies arrested a man in connection with a deadly robbery at a Vidalia store. Deputies arrested Tyron Burns, of Vidalia, Saturday morning. Vidalia police say Burns walked into the RJ Pope menswear store on East First Street around 1:15 p.m. Friday. What followed led to the death of Brooke Joiner, who worked at the store.

Widow of Dollar General employee killed at work says he would be alive if store security was better

NORTH ST. LOUIS, MO – The widow of a Dollar General employee who was murdered on the job says he would still be alive if the store had better security measure. On November 2, Jolanda Woods’ life changed because of what happened inside a Dollar General store near the intersection of Grand and Kossuth. A suspect entered the store and fatally shot her husband Robert.  According to police, the shooting took place at the Dollar General at Grand and Kossuth, near Fairground Park, on November 2. The suspect entered the store with a firearm and began shooting, police said.  Police said the victim, Robert Woods, 42, was found unconscious and not breathing. He was a clerk at the store. The neighborhood where the store is located has a high crime problem. Jolanda says because of that, she wishes the company would do more concerning security, adding that if the company had done so, then her husband would still be alive. “That’s not enough staff to secure your store with no security. You can’t expect them to watch the aisles, work the cash registers, watch the thieves and stop the thieves,” Yolanda said.

Hempstead sanitation worker dies after being injured on duty, officials say

Hempstead, NY — An “exemplary” Town of Hempstead worker standing on the back of a sanitation truck died from injuries to his chest and abdomen suffered when the vehicle backed up toward a parked truck on Wednesday, officials said. “It is with profound sadness we report that longtime Town of Hempstead Sanitation worker Jean Macdonald was killed in a tragic accident yesterday while working on his route in Wantagh,” Town Supervisor Laura Gillen said in a statement Thursday. Macdonald, 60, of Freeport, had worked for the town since 2006. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the supervisor and Nassau County police.

Truck driver killed after hitting tree in road on Hwy 56 in Laurens Co. ID’d

LAURENS Co., SC (WSPA) – The driver of a tractor trailer who died after a crash in Laurens Co. early Thursday morning has been identified. According to South Carolina Highway Patrol, the crash happened at 4:15 a.m. on Highway 56 near Young Road, about 1.86 miles east of Clinton. SCHP said the driver was traveling east when the vehicle hit a tree lying in the road. The driver continued on, ran off the road and then hit a guardrail. The victim died at the scene. The person was wearing a seat belt and was entrapped. The Laurens County Coroner’s Office identified the driver as William Lee Weger, 58, of Edgefiled, SC.

Third man dies after industrial accident at Moab potash mine

MOAB, UT — A man who was injured in an industrial accident at a mine near Moab has died. Arthur Secrest died of his injuries Tuesday, San Juan County Sheriff Rick Eldredge confirmed. The incident took place about 12:40 p.m. Saturday at the Intrepid Potash mine, southwest of Moab, officials said. Secrest and two other men were using a forklift to pull a pump out of a pond on the property in an attempt to move the pump into the back of a pickup truck, officials said Saturday. Part of the equipment they were using came in contact with a power line, and the three men were shocked, according to authorities. Russell Helquist and Matthew Johnston died at the scene of the accident. Secrest was left in critical condition and was taken to the University of Utah Burn Center in Salt Lake City.