A partial list of American workers killed on the job over the past two weeks.
Man crushed together by road grader
ALTON, N.H. --Authorities are investigating the death of a Brentwood man who was crushed by a road grader he had been driving.
Nathan Sims, 29, was working on a private driveway in Alton on Friday when he either fell or tried to jump from the grader. The vehicle then rolled over him into a ditch.
Alton police and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are looking into whether the accident was caused by operator error or mechanical failure.
Lowell man dies from fall at Ayer plant
Lowell, MA - Fidel Mbony, 38, of 1301 Middlesex St., a maintenance worker at the Copeland Drive CPF Inc. plant, fell on Monday afternoon while he was trying to free something from a machine, police said. He struck his head when landing on the concrete floor and was transported to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester by helicopter, according to police.
OSHA records show that CPF has been investigated at least three times since the 1980s, according to Chavez. All three investigations found serious violations, for which the company was fined $1,215, $1,750 and $2,275, respectively.
OSHA eyes mulcher fatality
BELCHERTOWN, MA - Officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are scrutinizing the work-related accident that led to the death of Matthew P. Kosloski, 23, of Palmer. Kosloski, who lived in the Thorndike section of Palmer, died Tuesday afternoon at a work site on Warren Wright Road in Belchertown, after he apparently got caught in a landscaping machine that used an auger to churn mulch.
Kosloski worked for the Taylor Davis Landscaping Company of Amherst for the past eight months, said Kosloski's fiancee, Crystal P. Bleau, 23, of Palmer.
Bleau said officials and others at the scene told her Kosloski was apparently trying to unclog something blocking the machine when he slipped and fell into it.
Highway Worker Falls From Aerial Bucket, Dies
NORTH EAST, Md. -- A State Highway Administration employee working on an overhead sign at an intersection in Cecil County died Thursday after falling from the aerial bucket of his truck. According to state police, Mickael Locklear fell at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Maryland routes 272 and 273 in North East.
He fell about 20 feet and hit his head while working at an intersection in Calvert around noon Wednesday, police said.
Authorities said Locklear fell after a gust of wind blew him into the sign, entangling him in the sign and a traffic signal.
Locklear was not wearing a mandatory safety harness at the time of the accident, Buck and police said.
Department mourns death of firefighter
Joplin, MO -- Timmy Shane Hardy, 32, an 11-year-veteran of the Neosho Fire Department and the father of two children and stepfather of four more, apparently was killed when his equipment became tangled in a conveyor-belt support structure that he was using to carry him to the top of a bin at the Ragland Mills feed plant west of Neosho.
M'boro officer dies after motorcycle crash
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - A Murfreesboro police motorcycle officer died early Wednesday after a traffic accident. Officer Kay Rogers died just after 4 a.m. at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said hospital spokesman Jerry Jones. Rogers, who was in her fourth year with the department, collided with another vehicle Tuesday evening.
Worker Killed in Trench Collapse
Philidelphia, PA- November 8, 2005 - New Castle County police say a contractor repairing a septic system (John Jones Jr., of New Castle) died today when a trench collapsed, leaving him trapped beneath more than one thousand pounds of dirt. New Castle County police spokesman Corporal Trinidad Navarro says the 32-year-old New Castle resident was working in the nine-foot-deep, three-foot-wide trench shortly before noon when it collapsed for unknown reasons. The man has not been identified.
Fla. Construction Worker Dies After 8-Foot Fall
Orlando, FL- A 44-year-old construction worker died Wednesday after falling 8 feet off a ladder while working on the new north annex for Holmes Regio! nal Medical Center in Melbourne, according to Local 6 News partenr Florida Today. The accident happened about 7:56 a.m. at the construction site at 450 East Sheridan Road. The worker was identified as Chris Monochein of Melbourne.
Fall kills rig worker
Moab, Utah - drill rig worker was killed in a fall off a derrick Monday near Battlement Mesa. Larry D. Hill, 42, of Moab, Utah, was pronounced dead at the scene Monday, Garfield County Coroner Trey Holt said.
"He was trying to fix something on the rig," Holt said. "He wasn't tied off."
Hill fell 75 to 80 feet off the rig, Holt said.
Rig workers are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to wear safety belts, said Herb Gibson, Denver area director. "We do require fall protection when people are working at heights," he said.
Operations resuming at iron ore mine where worker died
RICHMOND TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Operations are resuming at the Upper Peninsula iron-ore mine where a worker was killed over the weekend. Chad Weston of Ishpeming died Sunday when he became caught in some equipment at ! the Empire Mine. The 28-year-old was the first worker to die at the mine in more than six years.
Explosion at North Carolina asphalt plant kills one
KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. - A small explosion at an asphalt plant killed one person Thursday, authorities said. The victim was believed to be an employee, authorities said. No one else was hurt, they said. The explosion happened at about 7 a.m. at Rea Contracting Asphalt Plant here, about 30 miles west of Charlotte, county officials said. The blast did not create any fire or heat, said Police Capt. Derek Johnson, who arrived at the plant shortly afterward.
Danville police officer killed in the line of duty
Roanoke, VA- Officer Courtney Dickerson is the first Danville Police Department Officer to be killed in the line of duty in 84 years.
Dickerson was driving around a curve on Halifax Road on his way to an alarm call, when he skidded off the road and ran over the curb. He hit a telephone pole, shot up a small bank, and sailed roughly 50 feet, his cruiser bouncing off the ground, and slamming into the steps of Pleasant View Baptist Church.
Dunlap farmer killed in tractor-semi crash
Dunlap, MO -- Richard C. Grote, 72, Dunlap area farmer was killed the afternoon of Oct. 20 when a semi-tractor trailer passing his John Deere tractor on Highway 30, struck it. Iowa State Patrol Dist. 4's report said Grote was eastbound on Highway 30 approximately one mile east of Dunlap and attempting to turn left into his driveway at the same time that a semi, driven by John Miner, 62, Emerson, attempted to pass him. Both vehicles left the road and went into a ditch. The patrol did not have information as to whether Grote's turn indicator was on.
Worker Run Over By Garbage Truck, Killed
PITTSBURGH, PA -- Police said a garbage truck ran over a city of Pittsburgh refuse worker in Carrick around 10 a.m. Monday. According to police, three male refuse workers were on the job, with two of the men acting as spotters. 44-year-old Eugene Sunseri, of Carrick, was riding on the back of a waste removal vehicle in the 200 block of Stewart Avenue, when he apparently fell off the vehicle and was run over, police said.
Man Jailed in Slaying of Social Worker
Kitsap, WA - Police say Friday night's fatal stabbing was Poulsbo's first murder in 18 years. A man with a criminal history reportedly stabbed to death a Kitsap Mental Health employee Friday night when the case worker went to his home to evaluate him. The suspect, Larry William Clark, 33, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder soon after the crime at his home in the Viking's Crest condominium complex. Clark is being held in Kitsap County Jail on $2 million bail. The victim, 46-year-old Marty Smith, was evaluating Clark for possible commitment when the attack occurred.
Wilma relief worker accidentally shot and killed by boss
Fort Lauderdale, FL - An Arkansas man who traveled to South Florida with his company to assist with Hurricane Wilma recovery was accidentally shot and killed by his employer behind a McDonalds in Lauderdale Lakes. The shooting occurred 1:50 a.m. Saturday at the McDonalds at 4400 North State Road 7, according to Broward Sheriff's Office homicide detectives. The man, Brian Bouzigard, 28, worked for Mojo Recovery Inc., a private relief and recovery contractor based in Malbern, Arkansas. He, three female co-workers and their boss, Jonathan Hearle, 43, also of Arkansas, drove to Florida, arriving in Lauderdale Lakes Saturday night. They were scheduled to drive to Homestead Sunday morning.
Worker Crushed To Death At Construction Site
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A 22-year-old construction worker died after he was crushed while building a CVS pharmacy at about noon Monday, officials said. Christopher L. Pruitt, of Trenton, Ohio, was working for H&G Erectors near the intersection of Montgomery and Columbia Roads when he was smashed between a mobile crane and a stabilizing arm. He was rushed to Bethesda North Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Warren County Sheriff's Office are investigating the accident
FARMER DIES FROM INJURIES
Pocatello, ID - A sad update to a story we first told you about yesterday - the man critically burned in a farming accident has died. Staff at the University of Utah Hospital tell us that this morning, 68-year-old Jack Waddell died from his injuries. The Madison County Sheriff's Office and emergency responders were called to his farm near Archer Tuesday morning. Waddell was using a cutting torch to cut up an old piece of farm equipment for scrap metal when he hit the gas tank and it exploded. The blast sent Waddell - on fire - over a fence and into a corral. He suffered serious burns and was flown to the Utah Burn Center, where he died.
At least 3 killed when cement truck rear-ends landscaping van
HOUSTON, TX - Carnage at a northwest Houston intersection today. At least three people were killed today when a cement truck slammed into the rear of a van on State Highway 249 at Gessner, next to Willowcreek Mall. Investigators say the 15-passenger van was carrying at least seven landscape workers. Witnesses say some of the van's occupants were ejected on impact, while some others remain trapped inside. No clear word yet on how many were injured in the collision and what their conditions are.
Truck ramp crushes, kills driver
EAST DUNDEE, IL — A 34-year-old Arizona truck driver with a young son was trapped Tuesday by a heavy metal ramp as he worked inside his semitrailer and was slowly crushed to death. Police and fire officials believe Danny Joe Pennington, of Payson, Ariz., lay dead inside the truck for at least two hours after the accident before he was found.
Accident at LP fatal for county man, 49
Roxboro, NC - Allen Keith Whitfield of Hurdle Mills, who recently gave up farming to take a job with his brother-in-law’s welding firm, died suddenly Monday in an accident at Louisiana Pacific’s Roxboro plant. Details of the accident remained sketchy Tuesday pending further investigation by authorities, but Whitfield, an employee of Olive Hill Welding, was installing a catwalk above a plant conveyor, according to Person County Sheriff’s Department Captain Mike Clayton. While welding on the catwalk, said Clayton, the conveyor belt below it “cut on and caught him (Whitfield) in it.”
Safety glass mishap kills Dodge Arena employee
HIDALGO, TX — A work-related accident at Dodge Arena cost an employee his life Monday evening. Florentino Quintanilla, 41, of Hidalgo, died after some heavy-duty glass panels removed from the hockey rink’s dasher boards fell on him about 8:45 p.m., according to Lou Rivera III, the acting general manager of the city-owned events venue. (More here.)
Manager found dead inside store
Bonner Springs, MO - A manager at the Dollar General in Bonner Springs was found beaten to death in the store Saturday morning, marking the city’s first homicide of 2005. Police identified the woman as Robin Bell, 44, of Tonganoxie. Bell’s husband called police sometime after 2 a.m. Saturday, asking them to check on his wife because she hadn’t arrived home. The store closes at 8 p.m.
A Warner Bros. Records employee was found shot to death Friday night in his car on Chapel Avenue in east Nashville.
Nashville, TN - Eric Scott Mansfield, 33, had just called his roommate at 6:35 p.m. to find out if their driveway on the 1400 block of Greenwood Avenue was full, police said. He went looking for a parking spot on the street, and after the roommate didn't hear from Mansfield for several minutes, he went out to look for him. Mansfield's roommate found his 2002 Volkswagen Jetta pulled over near the intersection of Chapel and Greenwood avenues and broke through the window to get in. Mansfield was unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his chest, according to police.
Big-rig driver killed on I-80 identified
OAKLAND, CA - A man killed when his big-rig has been identified as 41-year-old Jorge Sanchez of Dixon, according to the Alameda County Coroner's bureau. The solo-vehicle accident occurred around 4 a.m. on an I-80 ramp that leads to southbound Interstate Highway 880. The truck driver was trapped in his cab, which was hanging over the edge of the ramp, according to CHP Officer B.J. Whitten. CHP Officer J.D. Cook said that earlier in the morning that the right lane and the shoulder were blocked, causing traffic to snarl.
Employee killed in mine accident
Duluth, MN - An employee of the Empire Mine near Marquette, Mich., died Sunday in a work accident. The victim, a 28-year-old Ishpeming resident, became stuck in a cooler, a machine that cools iron ore pellets, according to a news release issued by the Michigan State Police. He was transported to Marquette General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His identity was withheld pending notification of relatives. An investigation is being performed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
OSHA looks into fatal construction accident
Great Falls, MT - Authorities Thursday identified the Great Falls man who died after a cement truck on a construction job site near Benefis East backed over him. Terry Richerson, 40, died at Benefis Hospital around 7 p.m. Wednesday from injuries sustained earlier in the day, said Cascade County Coroner Scott Wagner. Around 8 a.m., a 41-year-old driver with United Materials was backing a concrete truck up a 10-degree ramp to pour cement when the vehicle backed over Richerson.
Farmer dies in accident
Troy, AL- Shock turned to deep sadness Wednesday as word of the tragic death of J.R. Sanders began to circulate in Goshen. Sanders, a favorite son and prominent farmer died following a farm accident around noon, bringing grief and mourning to the small, close-knit community. "This is a very sad day in Goshen," said Nadine Johnson, a cousin and close friend of Sanders. "The flags here should fly at half mast. We have all lost a dear friend. "J.R. was an icon around here. He spent his whole life here after he came home from World War II. He lived in that one place and built what I consider an empire - a farming empire. His death shook up the whole town. He will be so greatly missed." Johnson said Sanders was moving hay bales and was killed when the tractor overturned.
Danville police officer dies in crash while responding to call
DANVILLE, VA - His cruiser crashed at turn in the road; he is survived by wife, son The city's police department is mourning the loss of an officer, 24-year-old Courtney Dickerson, who died last week after his police cruiser crashed while he was responding to a call. A funeral service for Mr. Dickerson is set for Monday at 1 p.m. at Bibleway Cathedral in Danville. Mr. Dickerson, of Dry Fork in Pittsylvania County, was driving west on Halifax Road to an alarm call Thursday just before 11:30 p.m. when he flipped his cruiser at a turn in the road near Pleasant View Baptist Church. Another officer, who had been traveling behind Mr. Dickerson, came upon the crash and called for help. Mr. Dickerson, who had been a member of the police department for 15
2 killed in plane crash
ANKENY, Iowa — Two people were killed when a small plane crashed Tuesday northeast of the Ankeny Regional Airport, officials with the Polk County sheriff’s office said. Chief Deputy Bill Vaughn said the plane went down about 10:20 a.m., about 2 miles northeast of the airport. Only two people were on board, he said. Vaughn said the plane’s pilot, Doug Dority, 63, of Des Moines, and a passenger, Harold Miller, 56, of Des Moines, died in the crash.
Truck driver killed in rear-end crash
Montgomery, NY – It was all over in a second. Michael Herman plowed his rig into the back of another 18-wheeler that was slowing down on Interstate 84 at about 9:15 yesterday morning. The impact crushed the cab of his rig, killing Herman.
Beauty shop worker convicted in colleague's shooting death
BLOOMINGTON, IL — A McLean County jury has convicted a Bloomington woman in the death of her co-worker during an argument at a beauty shop. The jury found Tauheedah Rasool, 58, guilty Tuesday of second-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm but acquitted her of first-degree murder in the death of Billie Spiller, 42, of Bloomington. Police said Rasool shot Spiller in the back during a confrontation on Nov. 5, 2004, at the Beauty NU Barbershop Salon in Bloomington.
Well-liked MPD officer dies in motorcycle crash
Murfreesboro Police Officer Kay Rogers didn't like rushing to emergency calls while riding her motorcycle on duty because of safety concerns, Detective Ava Radley said. "She said she didn't want to get taken from her mother," Radley said. Rogers, 43, of Murfreesboro, died in the line of duty about 3 a.m. Wednesday after a Tuesday crash on Middle Tennessee Boulevard near Bellwood Elementary School.
Explosion kills worker at asphalt plant
KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. -- One person died Thursday after an explosion at a Cleveland County asphalt plant. The explosion happened around 7 a.m. at the Rea Contracting Asphalt Plant near Interstate 85, county officials said. No one else was hurt. "There was a small explosion, but it did not create any fire or heat," said Capt. Derek Johnson of the Kings Mountain Police Department. The victim was identified as Paul David Van Dyke, 58, of Stanley. He was an experienced employee, officials said.
Accident Kills Road Worker
Lakeland, FL - A Davenport road construction worker was killed Wednesday afternoon when he was struck by a sheet of steel at the U.S. 27 overpass near U.S. 17-92, Haines City police reported. Procorio Hernandez-Herrera, 54, was declared dead at the scene of the accident, according to a Haines City Police Department news release. A 20-foot-long, 2-ton steel sheet toppled over toward employees and struck only Hernandez-Herrera shortly after 3 p.m., the release said. Hernandez-Herrera was working for a Fort Lauderdale company named Freedom Pipeline Company, the release said. The body of Hernandez-Herrera, of 119 San Juan Court in Davenport, was taken to the Polk County Medical Examiner's Office, the release said.
Postley trial to begin Dec. 6
Battle Creek, MI - The trial of the man charged with killing a Battle Creek detective is scheduled to begin early next month.Jury selection is to begin Dec. 6 in the Calhoun County Circuit Court trial of Genail Postley Jr., 22, charged with the May 9 shooting death of Battle Creek Detective LaVern Brann.
Man Shot, Killed After Intervening During Robbery
LOS ANGELES, CA -- A well-known Oxnard resident was shot and killed Sunday at a donut shop. Benjamin Gomez, 52, was shot as he tried to intervene during a holdup at Sunshine Donuts. The store is in the 1200 block of South Oxnard Boulevard. "I ask myself, 'Why? Why did this happen?'" said Mary Lou Gomez, the victim's wife. "My husband, he was a hard worker. I want justice for somebody robbing me of my husband." Residents conducted a candlelight vigil Monday night. They said Gomez was involved in many community events. Family members described Gomez, a Marine, as someone who always tried to help other people.
Pool company faces fine in fatal crash
Elmira, NY - According to the Labor Department's investigation, the worker was driving a company-owned pickup truck this past summer near the town of Apalachin when the vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer. The 17-year-old and his 18-year-old passenger, also an employee, were killed in the crash. The names of the two men were not immediately available. The men had been working on a job site in Binghamton, and Chavez said they were returning to Waverly for parts needed to complete the work. Federal labor law prohibits 17-year-old employees from driving a vehicle for their employer beyond a 30-mile radius from their place of employment. Earlier in the day, the 17-year-old also was driving a dump truck at the work site, which Chavez said is also in violation of federal labor laws that regulate the employment of workers younger than 18 years of age, including prohibitions barring such workers from engaging in specified hazardous occupations. Richard Spicer, owner of the business, referred all questions to Waverly attorney Robert Miller, who could not be immediately reached for comment.
Accident At Steel Plant Crushes Worker
Government Records Show Company Has History Of Unsafe Work Environment
HOUSTON, TX -- A worker was crushed Tuesday morning during an accident at an industrial plant in Baytown, The accident happened at about 2 a.m. at the Jindal United Steel Works on East McKinney Street near James Road. LifeFlight transported the injured worker to Memorial Hermann Hospital with injuries to his lower body. Authorities have not released any details on the accident. (More here)
Officer shot, killed in hunt for suspect
Dallas, TX - Police were answering call about domestic disturbance. Marta Cruz had told police that her ex-boyfriend had been threatening her for weeks. But as he emptied his handgun in an act of rage early Sunday, police say, his last bullet found another victim. Dallas police Officer Brian Jackson died of a gunshot wound to his right underarm suffered in a gunfight on Madera Street near North Henderson Avenue in Old East Dallas.
Assistant principal killed in Tennessee school shooting honored at funeral
LAFOLLETTE, Tenn. (AP) — Teachers lined the streets of this mountain community Saturday to honor an assistant principal who was killed as administrators tried to wrestle a gun away from a student. Several hundred people attended a funeral Mass for Ken Bruce, 48, who was remembered as a peacemaker and a role model respected by students. "Children loved him. He wasn't the type to intimidate kids or anything," said Campbell County Sheriff Ron McClellan. "They knew they could come to him with anything." Following the service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, more than 1,000 teachers lined the route to a nearby cemetery.
Doc calls for probe in death of fighter
Las Vegas, NV - A longtime Nevada ringside physician has called for an investigation into the September death of a boxer who died in a Las Vegas bout, believing that it could lead to necessary health and safety improvements in boxing. Dr. Margaret Goodman, a Las Vegas neurologist who worked more than 3,500 bouts over the past 11 years, feels so strongly about the need for more stringent safety standards in boxing that she resigned last week from her ringside physician post to draw attention to the issue. "I gave up the very thing I love the most because I think the standards and the process we have to evaluate and take care of the boxers need improvement," Goodman said. "I've tried as best I could to work with the system in place but haven't been able to do the job I felt needed to be done." Goodman was one of the ringside physicians Sept. 17 when Leavander Johnson was pummeled by 409 punches from fellow lightweight Jesus Chavez. Before what proved to be the final round of that bout, Goodman quickly examined Johnson, conversed with him and concluded that he could continue with the bout, even though he was being thoroughly whipped. Moments later, the fight was stopped in the 11th round. Johnson collapsed after returning to his dressing room and died five days later.
Worker dies after falling 35 feet in Muskego
Muskego, WI - A contract worker died after he fell 35 feet onto a concrete slab from a ladder while working on one of the city's sewage lift stations Monday, police said. Officials refused to release the man's name because relatives had not yet been notified. Police Lt. John La Tour said the man, 53, was working above the lift station tightening a flange before his fall down a dry shaft along Woods Road, near Sandy Beach Drive. Another contractor who saw him fall called rescue workers at 11:23 a.m.
Services for rig worker set for Wednesday
Christi, TX - Roth fell to death at industrial yard; review under way Funeral services for the Kiewit Offshore Services subcontracted employee who fell to his death Sunday morning are set for Wednesday. Twenty-five-year-old Frank Warren Roth plummeted more than 100 feet at 9 a.m. Sunday while working on the construction of an offshore rig at Kiewit's industrial yard, said San Patricio County Justice of the Peace Charlotte Griffin.
Firefighter dies after being burned during training exercise
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A firefighting instructor died Tuesday after being badly burned during a training exercise at the state fire academy. Robert Gallardy, 47, died Tuesday morning at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, where he was being treated for the severe burns he suffered Sunday.
Jersey City robbers kill deli worker in heist bid
Newark, NJ - An employee at a Jersey City delicatessen who recently emigrated from Egypt was shot and killed during a robbery Wednesday night, authorities said yesterday. Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said Nabile S. Sharoubin, 41, was shot once in the arm, but the bullet passed through his chest. He was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center at 8:48 p.m. Wednesday. "That was a holdup that apparently, unfortunately went bad," DeFazio said yesterday.
Woman dies in workplace accident - 44-year-old fell from machinery
CITY OF PEWAUKEE - A 44-year-old woman died after injuries she sustained in a fall at her workplace Tuesday night, police said. The name of the Cedarburg woman was not released pending completion of the autopsy, which was conducted Wednesday, said City of Pewaukee Police Capt. Dave Funkhouser. The incident occurred at the Boelter Co. on Ridgeview Parkway at about 9:56 p.m. Tuesday when the woman reportedly fell from the top of an order picker, a machine similar to a forklift. She fell 12 feet to 17 feet, landing on the concrete floor below, Funkhouser said. However, there were only three people working the shift at the time, and she may have been on the floor for as long as 15 to 20 minutes before she was discovered in a semiconscious state, Funkhouser said.
SHOT KILLS CLERK; PAIR FLEE
Jersey City, NJ -- A deli worker with a wife, a child and another one on the way was fatally shot during one of three attempted armed robberies that were committed within a half-hour period Wednesday night, officials said. Police are trying to determine if the three robberies are connected. None of the stores that were robbed lost money to the gunmen. Nabil S. Sharoubin, 41, of Jersey City, was shot once inside the Superior Markets deli at about 8:30 p.m. on Jewett Avenue near Summit avenues, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said yesterday. He was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center at 8:48 p.m.
Apprentice jockey killed in race at Beulah Park
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A 16-year-old apprentice jockey died after falling from his horse Wednesday while leading the third race at Beulah Park.
Josh Radosevich fell to the muddy track after Nyoka broke his right front leg at the upper stretch, and the horse rolled over the jockey, Beulah spokesman Joe DeLuca said.
Radosevich was pronounced dead at Grant Medical Center about 30 minutes after the fall, said Louis Tejada, a nursing administrator at the hospital. The horse was euthanized.
West Palm Beach worker dies under a ton of wet dirt near Vero Beach
Palm Beach, FL -- Jose Vega of West Palm Beach couldn't have seen it coming as he worked on an Indian River County construction site.
As the laborer bent over in a 5-foot-deep hole to work on a water pipe for a new upscale subdivision Wednesday, a ton of wet dirt fell on him.
And no one knew -- not even the backhoe operator who dumped the dirt, Indian River County sheriff's investigators said
Worker dies after accident at pork plant
OTTUMWA, Iowa -- An Ottumwa man died Wednesday morning after a rail on a conveyor system collapsed at a pork processing plant.
Paul McCrory, 41, was trapped under the rail at Cargill Meat Solutions for about 40 minutes before being transported to Ottumwa Regional Health Center and pronounced dead, authorities said.
The cause of the accident has not been determined but will be investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said plant Manager Randy Zorn.
Arizona truck driver crushed inside trailer
EAST DUNDEE -- A truck driver apparently was crushed to death Tuesday in East Dundee as he worked inside a trailer for hauling cars, police said.
Preliminary autopsy results concluded Danny Joe Pennington, 34, of Payson, Ariz., died when a movable ramp in the trailer crushed him, the Kane County coroner's office said.
Working alone, Pennington apparently was readying the trailer before picking up a car at G. Schmitz & Associates Inc., 1089 Rock Road Lane, said East Dundee Police Detective Mike Seyller. The trailer was parked outside the business, Seyller said.
Pennington was pronounced dead at the scene.
RECYCLING WORKER DIES IN ACCIDENT
Madison, WI -- A worker at Samuels Recycling Co., a metal recycling firm on Madison's East Side, was killed Friday morning when he became entangled in machinery.
The company identified the worker as Kevin Brown, 29, of Madison, who had been working at Samuels for seven months at its plant at 4400 Sycamore Ave. A statement from Gary Bachus, vice president of operations, said the company notified authorities immediately after co-workers discovered the accident.
The Dane County Coroner's Office said it was notified at 6:22 a.m. and that Brown had gotten caught in machinery that was part of a large shredding drum he was servicing. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputy Coroner Colleen Little described Brown's injuries as "crushing injuries."
CHP officer slain during traffic stop
San Francisco, CA -- A motorist shot and killed a California Highway Patrol officer during a traffic stop in Yolo County on Thursday, and more than 300 law enforcement officers were on a manhunt for the shooter.
The officer, a 13-year veteran with the agency, was identified as Andy Stevens of the greater Sacramento area. The 37-year-old officer leaves behind a widow.
Authorities said the slaying had occurred during a traffic stop at about 2:30 p.m. on the outskirts of Woodland, an area of back roads, farmland, small towns and casinos.
Construction worker killed in cave-in
Marshall County, IN - A cave-in at a Marshall County construction site killed a worker Wednesday afternoon when a trench collapsed as he was installing a septic system.
The incident happened at a truck stop on the east side of Plymouth shortly after 2 PM.
The worker, whose name has not been released, was trapped underground for approximately 15 minutes.
Aroostook County Truck Driver Killed In Maryland
Portland, ME -- A truck driver from Aroostook County was killed Wednesday in Maryland, when the tractor-trailer he was driving flipped over and caught fire.
23-year-old Brad Flewelling of Monticello died in the crash. It happened during the early-morning rush hour, on a Capital Beltway off-ramp near Bethesda, MD.
He was hauling potatoes in a refrigerated truck.
Maryland authorities plan to inspect the truck in the next couple of days, to see if they can figure out if it had any mechanical issues.
Truck driver killed in Dan Ryan accident
Chicago, IL -- A semitrailer truck involved in a fatal accident Wednesday morning blocks the southbound lanes of the Dan Ryan Expressway just south of Pershing Road. A 40-year-old man died when the semitrailer truck he was driving rear-ended the truck.
Man killed when co-worker accidentally runs him over
Tacoma, WA -- A 51-year-old man has died after a co-worker accidentally ran him over with a truck in Fife.
The man, who worked for Bartleson Transport Inc. in Edgewood, was inspecting semitrailers in the 4600 block of 20th Street East about 9 a.m. Tuesday when a co-worker thought he had completed the job and drove the truck over him, said Tony Budzius, a Fife police detective sergeant.
Robber Shoots Midland clerk
Tacoma, WA -- Pierce County sheriff's deputies believe a callous gunman might have committed more armed robberies after he shot and killed a 30-year-old store clerk in Midland on Friday night.
The robber waited until customers left the Plaza Guerrero Mexican minimart at 816 E. 72nd St. before entering and pointingSupervalu his gun at the victim's 10-year-old nephew, Troyer said.
When the nephew apparently tried to translate the robber's demands from English to Spanish, the gunman raised his weapon and killed Leonardo Velazquez-Vazquez, who was standing at the cash register. The shot came without warning. The gunman left without taking any money. There was only about $ 100 in the register, Troyer said.
Bus station guard dies after shooting
San Antonio, TX -- A security guard working at the downtown Greyhound bus station was shot and killed Thursday afternoon, police said.
The shooting occurred about 3:15 p.m. after the guard searched a man's bag and discovered a weapon, said San Antonio Police Department spokesman Sgt. Gabe Trevino.
Rural towner farmer dies in loader accident
TOWNER, N.D. - A McHenry County farmer was killed when the loader bucket of a tractor fell on him.
Gillman Sjong, 78, apparently was trying to fix a leak on a hydraulic hose.
"He took the hose off the main cylinder ... and the pressure went down," Deputy Jeremy Tofteland said. "The bucket went down on top of him and pinned him between the loader and the frame of the tractor."
Fire Chief Dies While Fighting Blaze
Benton, AR - The fire chief of a small Grant County community was killed while battling a blaze earlier this week.
A fire broke out at 8722 West Cherry Street around 10:00 Thursday morning.
Authorities say 59-year-old Ken Mitchell was pronounced dead at Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton. His body has been taken to the State Crime Lab for an autopsy.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and authorities say criminal charges could be filed in connection with Mitchell's death if the fire was deliberately set or was caused by criminal activity.
El Paso man crushed and burned in forklift accident
EL PASO, Texas — A 32-year-old El Paso man was killed Monday after being crushed and burned in a forklift accident, El Paso County sheriff's officials said.
Luis M. Castro was working on a forklift Monday when he got off the machine to toss debris into a fire bin at Kastro's Wood Pallets Inc. in east El Paso and was pinned against the bin, sheriff's spokesman Rick Glancey said.
Investigators believe Castro left the forklift in gear, allowing it to roll forward and pin him, Glancey said.
A man who answered the phone at the business said the company had no comment.
Officials with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which investigates work-related accidents, responded to the scene Monday.
Sioux Falls utility worker dies in fall from Minnesota wind tower
CHANDLER, Minn. - A Sioux Falls man was killed after falling more than 200 feet from a wind tower after it caught fire Friday morning near Chandler, authorities said.
Benjamin James Thovson, 26, died at the scene after falling about 210 feet, Murray County (Minn.) sheriff's deputy Randy Donahue said.
The victim was installing a Suzlon Wind Energy Corp. wind turbine, according to a statement released Friday evening by Suzlon and another company, Gary, S.D.-based Energy Maintenance Service.
The workers were replacing a bolt when the fire started, the Associated Press reported.
Two other employees of the Gary firm were injured and treated at a local hospital, according to the statement. They were able to climb down and escape.
Police say cab driver dragged to death by passenger
MIDLAND, Texas — A taxi driver tangled in his seat belt was dragged to his death after a passenger seized his car, police said.
Monica Palmer, 30, was arrested and charged with capital murder Thursday after Midland police said she fought with Richard Allen Cullum, 57, and partially forced him from the vehicle before driving off. Police said his body was dragged about a mile.
Authorities said it was the second time Cullum had picked up Palmer that night. Palmer was brought back the first time after telling Cullum she had no money. After Cullum picked up Palmer again later, he began driving before turning around and stopping the car.
Police said that's when the fight began. Palmer was arrested hours later after a tip led to police to a motel.
Bakery worker stabbed to death
TRENTON, NJ - A bakery worker was stabbed to death early yesterday morning in an alleyway behind a shop in the 500 block of Hamilton Avenue, police said.
The block-long alley called Baldassari Lane runs from Chambers Street to Anderson Street, behind a row of Hamilton Avenue businesses.
Gilbert Cascante, 53, of Quintin Avenue was rushed to St. Francis Medical Center, about a block away, but was pronounced dead from numerous stab wounds, police said. He is the city's 26th homicide victim this year.
Police did not disclose a motive for the attack, but a departmental spokesman, Sgt. Pedro Medina, said attempted robbery is a possibility. Investigators have no evidence to confirm that but, "It's in the back of our minds," he said. He said there is no indication gangs were involved.
According to the police press release, Cascante worked at Dave's Donuts on Baldassari Lane and left work around 12:30 a.m. About 15 minutes later, a co-worker found him behind the building suffering from apparent stab wounds and called 911, stated the release.
Ellerslie fireman killed in wreck
Columbus, GA -- A firefighter with the Ellerslie Volunteer Fire Department died Saturday after the truck he was driving went out of control on Warms Springs Road, authorities said.
Kevin Foster, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident which occurred about 3:15 p.m. just south of Georgia 85 in Ellerslie, said Harris County Coroner Lori Camp.
Scott Davis, chief of the Ellerslie Volunteer Fire Department, said Foster of Ellerslie was responding to a call when the northbound fire truck went out of control and crashed off the right side of the road. He said the truck had 1,000 gallons of water in it.
Manager found dead in store
BONNER SPRINGS, Kan. -- A woman was found beaten to death Saturday inside the Dollar General store she managed, marking the city's first homicide of the year.
Robin Bell, 44, Tonganoxie, was found inside the store about 2:30 a.m. after her husband called police to say she hadn't arrived home. The store closes at 8 p.m.
Bell had suffered severe head trauma, said Sgt. Mark Zaretski. He said police were reviewing a tape from a security camera outside a nearby restaurant, but that no suspects had been identified.
Money was found in the Dollar General, he said.
Hit and Run Fatality
Sioux Falls, SD -- Gregory Zuba, who was 55 and from Erie, died yesterday after he was hit by a truck at the Pilot truck stop on North Cliff Avenue. Police say Gregory Zuba was stopped at the truck stop in Sioux Falls because of mechanical problems with his semi-truck.
Sioux Falls Police Lieutenant. Jerry Miller says, "He was on his cell phone talking to his mechanic back in Pennsylvania at the time he was struck."
Arkansas man electrocuted during Hurricane Rita restoration
FOUKE, Ark. — Funeral services are pending in Texarkana for an Arkansas lineman who was electrocuted while he repaired a building in Silsbee, Texas, during restoration work in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita.
Ricky Whittington, 37, of Fouke, died Tuesday. He was in a large utility construction vehicle, or bucket truck, in the southeastern Texas town when a high voltage power source struck him. Whittington was working for Texas-based Broadband Specialists Inc. with three other linemen, none of whom were injured.
Worker, 36, dies in accident at Port Road reconstruction site
Fox Point, WI - A 36-year-old construction worker was killed Thursday when an excavator fell on him while he worked on the reconstruction of N. Port Washington Road.
Police Chief Thomas Czaja said the worker, who is from Westby, near La Crosse, was standing next to a small excavator being used to lower a piece of concrete sewer pipe into the excavated roadway in the 8100 block of Port Washington Road about 9:50 a.m. The excavator tipped onto the man, causing extensive head, chest and neck injuries.
The worker was employed by Hoffman Construction Co. of Black River Falls, the contractor for the Milwaukee County project, a complete reconstruction and widening of the road from Good Hope Road to Bergen Drive.
Police: Gunman killed boss, shot state trooper, then killed self
DUNCANNON, Pa. (AP) - Police investigating yesterday's shootings in Perry County say it's unclear exactly why the gunman killed his boss at a construction site.
But whatever the motive was that led 38-year-old Randy Lee Campbell of Thompsontown to kill building contractor Steve Willow, it led to a violent day for the rural area. Police say Campbell sped off and was pursued by police near Duncannon. He then fired a rifle at Trooper Ron Colyer's cruiser, seriously wounding him. He was airlifted to Hershey Medical Center. Campbell then killed himself.
Slaying of 2 teens called 'very brutal'
Phoenix, AX -- Miguel Macias wondered what took him so long.
His friend, Chris, said they would go to a party late Saturday. He'd call back when friends picked him up.
Those friends - Guillermo Rodriguez and Rafael Encinas, both 17-year-old high school students - were closing at Subway in Phoenix and couldn't roll until midnight or so.
But Macias' phone didn't ring again until 4 a.m. It was Chris, and he was sobbing. He said Rodriguez and Encinas had been shot dead in what appeared to be a robbery.
Police said video surveillance helped them piece together what happened.
Two masked men walked into Subway about 11:40 p.m., one guarding the door while the other approached the counter. It was 40 minutes past closing time, but the front door hadn't been locked.
The boys were working in the backroom when one of them heard something and peeked around the corner only to see the masked men. Having nowhere to go, the boys tried to hide; their only exit was the door at the front of the restaurant, said Sgt. Lauri Williams, a Phoenix police spokeswoman.
Construction worker crushed in crane accident
DEERFIELD TWP, NJ -- A crane accident Monday killed a 22-year-old construction worker, authorities said.
Christopher L. Pruitt of Trenton was standing behind a mobile crane when he was crushed between the crane and a stabilizing arm, the Warren County sheriff's office said. Pruitt was dead on arrival at Bethesda North Hospital, police said.
He was at a job site in Deerfield Township and was an employee of H&G Steel Erectors of Hamilton, authorities said. There was no answer at the company Monday evening.
California Firefighter Dies At Structure Fire
Riverside, CA -- A veteran California firefighter died in the line of duty on November 5 at the scene of a structure fire.
Eduardo Teran, 43, a 17-year veteran with the Riverside Fire Department, collapsed and went into cardiac arrest while performing firefighting activities. The department is waiting on autopsy results.
Firefighters saw Teran fall near a parked engine as they were doing cleanup work. Riverside Fire Department paramedics performed advanced life support before transporting Teran to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than two hours later.
Shop owner, suspected robber killed in Anderson shooting
ANDERSON, S.C. (AP) - A shop owner and the man authorities say tried to rob the business are both dead after a shootout at an upstate car detail shop.
Investigators say Keena McAdams, 20, entered the office of the McDuffie Street Clean-Up shop shortly after 8 a.m. Monday, pulled out a gun, and ordered everyone in the business to get onto the floor.
Officials say 59-year-old store owner Willie Paul Peterson then pulled out a gun of his own, and the men began shooting at each other.
Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore said Peterson died of multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, belly and leg.
Trucker dies 2 days after I-40 crash, fire
Fayetteville, AR -- A trucker died late Friday from injuries suffered in a fiery crash that backed up traffic for miles on Interstate 40 in Brinkley earlier last week, the Arkansas State Police reported.
Travis Hill, 27, of Seagrove, N. C., was driving a Peterbilt tractor-trailer west on the highway about 1 : 46 p. m. Wednesday, when he crashed into the rear of a truck that had broken down in the right-hand traffic lane.
The fuel tank on Hill’s truck ruptured and ignited, and the truck overturned and was consumed by the flames. Hill was airlifted to a hospital in Memphis, where he died about midnight Friday.
Empire Mine Employee Killed
PALMER, Mich. (AP) — An employee of the Empire Mine was killed when he got caught in some equipment last weekend, officials said.
Chad Weston, 28, of Ishpeming, an assistant plant operator, is the first worker killed at the mine in more than six years, The Mining Journal of Marquette reported Monday.
Weston was working Sunday outside the "cooler," a device that receives iron ore pellets as they are dropped from a kiln, state police reported from the Negaunee post.
He apparently became caught between two pieces of equipment used in the operation of the machine, said Dale Hemmila, spokesman for Cliffs Michigan Mining Company.
He was pronounced dead at Marquette General Hospital.