During this period, we have lost a total of 15 miners in this country, but statistically, (based on a total of 5703 workplace deaths in 2004, the most recent year that statistics are available), over 300 American workers died in the workplace over the past three weeks. Below, we've managed to identify over one hundred of those from web searches. Aside from the West Virginia miners, few of the workers killed in the past few weeks received any recognition. There were no editorials thundering about the need for a stronger OSHA, no calls for Congressional investigations. Most died alone, unnoticed by anyone except their immediate family, friends and co-workers. In other words, outside of West Virginia, it was just the typical few weeks in the American workplace.
-- Jordan
Worker dies in construction accident in Stony Point
STONY POINT, NY — A 33-year-old worker died an hour after being struck yesterday by an excavator digging outside a house on Captain Faldermeyer Court.
Thomas Collins of Garnerville was hit by the excavator's bucket and forced into the side of the house about 11 a.m., Stony Point police Lt. Brian Moore said yesterday.
"They were excavating, and the machine was digging up dirt and rotating back and forth on its tracks when the bucket hit him," Moore said. "He was temporarily pinned against the side of the house."
Collins lost consciousness and was considered critical when emergency medical personnel took him to a helicopter landing zone at the nearby North Rockland soccer fields. He was then flown to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.
Collins, who is married, died from his injuries at 12:04 p.m. at the medical center.
He worked for James R. Giutarra Inc., which had about five workers on the property who were building an extension.
Industrial accident turns fatal
HAMILTON, IN — A Brookville, Ind. man hurt in an industrial accident at SMART Papers here Sunday morning died of his injuries Thursday.
Bill Bailey, 37, is survived by his wife, Cherry L. Bailey, and two sons, ages 10 and 9.
The Hamilton Fire Department was dispatched to the paper mill just before 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Rescue workers reportedly found Bailey at the finishing end of the paper manufacturing line with his arm and chest stuck in rollers.
Workers Killed In Separate Accidents
Indianapolis, IN -- Police are investigating a pair of work-related accidents.
An accident at a west side business left one man dead.Police said a worker was using a Bobcat to move tractor-trailers when another worker stepped in front of the machine at Estes Express Lines' terminal.
The person operating the Bobcat was unable to stop and hit the other worker. The man was taken to Wishard Hospital, where he died Saturday. Investigators are trying to determine exactly how the accident happened.
A garbage truck worker in Johnson County was killed in another work-related accident. Police said Joseph Perry, 38, was riding on the back of a garbage truck when he slipped off while the truck was backing up. The truck ran over Perry, killing him instantly. Police are investigating.
2 Missing Workers Are Found Dead in West Virginia Mine
MELVILLE, W.Va. - An agonizing two-day wait came to a tragic end on Saturday when rescue workers found the bodies of two miners who were trapped by a fire that began on a conveyor belt 900 feet underground.
Gov. Joe Manchin III, whose state is still reeling from the deaths of 12 miners in Sago after a Jan. 2 explosion, expressed anguish Saturday and pledged to introduce legislation on Monday to improve mine safety.
"I can't tell you the pain that we have," Mr. Manchin said at a news conference after visiting the families who were gathered at the Brightstar Freewill Baptist Church in this tiny mining community 60 miles southwest of Charleston.
The smoky blaze had raged underground at the Alma Mine 1 here since Thursday night. Officials identified the two miners as Don I. Bragg, 33, of Accoville, and Ellery Hatfield, 47, who was known as Elvis, of Simon. Both men had more than 10 years of experience in mining and had worked at Alma for five years.
Mr. Manchin said Mr. Bragg had two young children and Mr. Hatfield had four. "No families should have to go through what these families have been through," he said.
Summerville Cab Driver Shot And Killed On The Job
Summerville, SC - Nelsena Jenkins, 25, was shot and killed when she picked up passengers in her cab Wednesday night. Police believe it was a botched robbery, but the two suspects took nothing. Jenkins responded to a dispatch call just before 11 p.m. on Wednesday night at Wilson Creek Road in the Carnes Crossing Mobile Home Park in Summerville. A friend was riding with her. Witnesses and police say two African-American men, between the ages of 19 and 25 approached the cab and one got in the backseat behind the driver and shot Jenkins in the back of the head. The two men ran away on foot and the passenger was not injured.
Portsmouth man killed during tire mishap
PORTSMOUTH, VA — A city man was killed Thursday after trying to replace a tractor-trailer tire. The tire apparently ruptured so violently, blasting air toward him so hard that colleagues said three layers of clothes were blown off of his chest. Police identified the man as Andrew S. Staten , 48, of the 100 block of Wilson Pkwy . Staten worked changing tires at Bob Ewell Tire Service in the 700 block of Constitution Ave.
Building elevator crushes two workers, killing one in Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- One elevator technician was killed and another injured when an elevator fell on top of them while they worked at a Nashville office building. The workers were in the elevator shaft below the first floor shortly before 10 a.m. when a car fell and trapped them, Nashville Fire Department spokesman Charles Shannon said.
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Construction worker falls 20 feet off roof
MILTON — A 34-year-old Middletown iron worker fell 20 feet from a roof at the Milton School construction site Thursday morning.
Joseph Pollack, an Andron Construction Co. employee, slipped on ice at 9 a.m., Rye police Lt. Robert Falk said Friday. He was conscious when police arrived, Falk said, and was treated for head, neck and shoulder injuries as well as difficulty breathing and chest pain by Port Chester-Rye Volunteer Ambulance workers before being taken to Westchester Medical Center.
Sheriff's officer dies in crash
Chicago, IL - The Cook County Sheriff's Department is grieving the loss of one of its own. Veteran patrol officer James Knapp died Wednesday when his patrol car slid into the back of a semi truck stopped to make a left turn, officials said. Knapp, 50, of South Holland, was on his way to work at the Cook County courthouse in Bridgeview. He was with the department 16 years.
Recent Tragedy Suggests Need for Improvement in Mining Safety
Sago, WV - U.S. government health and safety officials are investigating the cause of the recent explosion at a West Virginia coal mine, which killed 12 miners. The accident was apparently an aberration in an industry that has prided itself on miner safety during a time of unprecedented expansion. More Thomas P. Anderson, age 39, Alva Martin, Bennett, age 51, Jim Bennett, age 61, Jerry Groves, age 56, George Junior Hamner, age 54, Terry Helms, age 50, Jesse L. Jones, age 44, David Lewis, age 28, Martin Toler Jr. age 51 (mine foreman), Fred Ware Jr., age 58, Jack Weaver, age 51, Marshall Winans, age 50
Dust in air blamed in fatal plant fire, Source of first spark unknown
STATESVILLE, NC - Dust ignited by an unknown source was to blame for several explosions at a livestock feed plant here Friday, according to fire officials. One worker was killed and another was seriously injured. "The fire in Kinston, this is the same thing all over again," said Iredell County Fire Marshal Lloyd Ramsey, referring to a 2003 fire that started when dust ignited at a Kinston pharmaceutical plant, killing six and injuring dozens. At the Land O'Lakes Purina Feed plant in Statesville, there were at least three explosions, each more violent than the one before, Ramsey said. Because of the extensive damage, it's unclear which of the explosions started the main fire that raged for over 24 hours, although it is known that the first explosion was in the basement, he said. The N.C. Labor Department conducted its first routine inspection of the nine-year-old plant Dec. 22 and found no evidence of any conditions that would lead to an explosion. Grinding animal feed produces dust, which can cause an explosion anywhere, Ramsey said. It's lucky more people weren't injured, he said. "If it had (happened) on first shift, it could've been very, very much worse," he said. Purina employee Jimmy Booe, 24, died Saturday from burns he received during one of the explosions. He was working near a large container of propionic acid, which caught fire, Ramsey said.
Ran over by forklift
TX, unknown women, 38 ran over by forklift while working for the International Longshoreman's Association.
Verizon worker dead in car-train collision south of Tri-Cities
Richland, OR- A utility truck and a freight train collided at an unsignaled road crossing west of this hamlet on the Columbia river south of the Tri-Cities, and the truck driver died at the scene, authorities said. Kevin Heinrichson, 42, of Richland, a Verizon Communications employee, was pronounced dead at the scene Wednesday afternoon, Benton County sheriff's deputy Joseph Lusignan Jr. said.
Pearl Harbor worker dies after crash
HONOLULU, HI The Navy says a man died today following a single vehicle accident at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. A release issued by the Navy says the accident happened just before ten o'clock this morning. The civilian employee was pronounced dead at Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi. The cause of death is being investigated. Navy spokeswoman Barbara Mertz says the man's family needs to be notified before other details can be released.
Construction Worker Dies In Fall
KAYSVILLE, UT - A man died Wednesday after he fell 20 to 25-feet at a construction site in Kaysville. Police say 42-year-old Jeffery A. Wilson of Albany, Oregon was working on a roof of a soon-to-be-completed tire store when he fell through a hole. Kaysville Corporal Mike Brown says about eight workers were on the roof at the time, but no one saw Wilson fall. However, they did hear him yelling out as he went through the hole. Brown says Wilson received severe head injuries. The incident is being investigated.
Employee Found Dead In Lounge
SAVANNAH, GA -- Savannah police are investigating the death of a man found dead this morning at a local lounge. Police say an employee of Uncle Harry's Lounge made the discovery shortly before 10 o'clock on Chatham County's westside. Investigators found the body of a middle-aged white male who had suffered at least one gunshot wound. The victim has been identified as an employee of the business but detectives are not releasing his name until the family is notified. Savannah-Chatham County Police say the body has been sent to the GBI Crime Lab. Investigators say the appears to have stemmed from a robbery.
Barge worker dies Saturday
CHARLESTON, MO — Authorities are investigating the death of a barge worker from the St. Louis area. According to Mississippi County Coroner Terry A. Parker, Corey Stockl, 27, fell from the boat he was working on early Saturday morning into the Mississippi River between Charleston and Cairo, Ill. Stockl was pulled from the river and brought to the Missouri shore by co- workers who also called for assistance. He was air-lifted to the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau where he was pronounced deal on arrival. The preliminary autopsy from Jan. 1 indicates Stockl died as a result of drowning but a complete autopsy and toxicology results will be available in 3-4 weeks, according to Parker. The incident is being investigated by Parker, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Alexander County (Ill.) Sheriff’s Department at Cairo.
Chesapeake Teen Dies From Window Washing Fall
Chesapeake, VA- An 18-year-old Chesapeake man fell three stories when a window washing rig collapsed. Travis Farmer died from his injuries on New Years Day. Farmer was working on the third floor windows on the back of the Resource Bank Building on Bonney Road in Virginia Beach on December 22nd. Emergency Medical Services Division Chief Bruce Nedelka says Farmer was in a platform cage type rig. "The rig slipped and the cable slipped away. He fell three floors to the ground. As it hit the ground it caved in and collapsed on him." Rescue crews arrived minutes after the accident and had to separate the young man from the rig and try to save his life. Nedelka says timing was crucial. "He was in bad shape. One of our volunteer EMS paramedics was able to secure an airway for him." That airway kept the young Hickory High School graduate alive. He was rushed to the Hospital and lived several more days. Travis Farmer passed away on January First.
Waupun Man Falls to his Death at Industrial Plant
Waupun, WI - Fond du Lac police have identified the 21 year old man found dead in an industrial plant. Police say Eric Passon of Waupun is believed to have fallen to his death from an overhead crane in the Giddings and Lewis industrial plant. He was with a 23 year old man at the time. Police aren't sure how the men got in, since neither works at the plant and the site was closed for the New Year's holiday. Police believe both men were intoxicated when they entered the building with the intent of riding the crane. A security guard told police she passed Passon's body twice but she thought his legs were those of a mannequin. Police are continuing to investigate but say they don't suspect foul play. Captain Mike Frank says nothing was missing from thebuilding or damaged.
Kilgoreite killed in industrial accident
Kilgore, TX- A 19-year old Kilgore man was killed in what Smith County Sheriff official term an industrial accident about 10 a.m. Saturday. Lt. Larry Wiginton of the Smith County Sheriff ’s Office, said Casey McLane died from apparently suffocating in a pit of sand at Ables Trucking Co. The accident reportedly occurred just over the line into Smith county at the company’s yard. “The victim went up the silo and fell and somehow smothered in the sand,” Wiginton said. “As far as we can speculate he drowned in sand and it was an industrial accident.”
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As We See It: Officer just doing his job
Creek, CA - The New Year's Eve death of a California Highway Patrol officer is a reminder during this week of dangerous weather and traffic of how some public servants put their lives on the line to help others. CHP Lt. Michael Walker died on Highway 17 as he attempted to set out flares to help a motorist whose car had spun out on the always precarious highway. He was being aided by an employee of Caltrans, the state highway authority, whose truck was parked along the highway. Then an Audi driven by a Boulder Creek man crashed into the Caltrans truck, which struck and killed Walker, according to the CHP. The driver of the Audi, Jerry Blinkenberg, also died, and the Caltrans worker was injured but survived. Walker, a husband, father of two daughters and a 24-year CHP veteran, had been promoted from his previous position in Vacaville, where his family still lives, to his new post in Santa Cruz in 2004.
Vectren Worker Killed, Name Released
Boonville, IN - A Boonville Vectren worker was killed while working to repair a transformer after Monday's thunderstorms moved though the Tri-State. Vectren says 60-year-old Russ Linxwiler was killed as his crew worked to restore electricity in the Quail Crossing subdivision, off Highway 261. Warrick County sheriff's deputies say workers were using a robotic piece of equipment to move a transformer when the equipment overturned on him.
Worker dies after fall at Wyo mine
ROCK SPRINGS, WY -- The nation's 21st coal mining fatality of 2005 occurred in Wyoming in late December and was the result of a Dec. 9 surface accident at Bridger Coal Co.'s underground coal mine east of Rock Springs, according to authorities. According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration Web site and an obituary in the Salt Lake Tribune, 49-year-old Henry Michael Oneida died on Dec. 26 from injuries received in a fall at the mine. The accident is under investigation by MSHA officials. The victim was employed by a construction contracting company. The Bridger Coal mine is located about 10 miles northeast of Point of Rocks in Sweetwater County. The mine is owned by Pacific Minerals Inc. and Idaho Energy Resources. The mine recently completed a transformation from a surface mine to an underground mine to allow workers to follow the coal seams as they dip beneath the earth.
The incident marked the third fatality at the Bridger Coal Mine since 1999, according to MSHA's list of fatal mine accidents in Wyoming. In July 1999, Gary Haines was pinned by equipment while repairing a dragline and died at the mine. And in September 2000, Kevin Fletcher was struck by a large hook while repairing equipment at the mine. He died six days later. Oneida's death is the second mine-related death in Sweetwater County in 2005. Terry Bigler of Green River was crushed to death by a piece of equipment in April while working underground at OCI Wyoming Inc.'s trona mine and soda ash processing plant west of Green River.
Rig crashes off I-81; driver dead
Berkely Springs,WV- A driver of a tractor-trailer hauling vehicles on Interstate 81 in Berkeley County was found dead Monday night after his truck went over an embankment and landed in a creek, according to West Virginia State Police. A co-worker who was following the truck said the rig, which was heading north on the interstate, went left and through a barrier cable in the median. The truck then continued north in the southbound lane before going over a hill and down into the creek, the co-worker said The accident occurred at the King Street exit (exit 13) of the interstate. Trooper J.D. Burkhart said the driver, who looked to be in his 80s, might have suffered a medical condition that contributed to the accident. Burkhart said the man suffered few visible injuries.
Greensburg man fixing signal killed by van
Horsham, PA - Montgomery County authorities are trying to determine why a 47-year-old man swerved his van erratically Friday and struck and killed a Westmoreland County man who was fixing a traffic signal. Jonathan "Jon" Sabol, 23, of Greensburg, and the driver of the van, Gary Grosso, 47, of Upper Moreland Township, died in the crash that occurred in Horsham Township, just south of Philadelphia, at 11:12 a.m. Sabol, an employee of Bruce & Merrilees Electric Co., of New Castle, Lawrence County, was working on a traffic signal at an intersection along Horsham Road at Tournament Drive when a van went out of control and hit him. Sabol was pinned beneath the van and was pronounced dead about one hour later at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was airlifted after the crash. Grosso was pronounced dead at the scene.
Berrien County deputies investigate death of bar employee after large fight
Niles, IN -Berrien County Sheriff Deputies are investigating the death of a Niles man following a bar fight. Deputies responded to a large fight call at Jay's Lounge in Niles Township just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning. When Deputies arrived they found 36 year old Guy Barry Winston on the ground outside the front door. Bar employees were performing CPR on him. He was transported to Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Indiana, were He was pronounced dead a short time later. Winston was an employee of Jay's Lounge and was working the door when the fight started. Witnesses say he was trying to break up the fight. An autopsy is being done to determine the cause of death. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Berrien County Sheriff's Office.
Man dies in cement truck wreck
AR - A 59-year-old Baxter County man was killed when the Mountain Home Concrete truck he was driving apparently left Shipps Ferry Road, also known as County Road 61, at a curve and went down an embankment near the White River Friday morning. Robert G. Neuhaus of County Road 603 was pronounced dead at the scene by the Baxter County Coroner's Office.
Missionary from Greeley shot, companion killed in Va.
Chesapeake, Va. - A 19-year-old Greeley man was wounded and his Mormon missionary companion was killed Monday when they were shot while doing missionary work in the Deep Creek area. Police are investigating whether Morgan Winslow Young, 21, of Bountiful, Utah, and Joshua Heidbrink of Greeley were shot because they had seen another crime. Officials said Young died Monday evening and that Heidbrink was hospitalized but appears to be recovering.
Miner Dies In Roof Collapse
Pikeville, KY (AP) -- A roof collapse at an eastern Kentucky coal mine killed one miner Tuesday, a state official said. The rock fall occurred about 900 feet inside the Maverick Mining Co. LLC mine in Pikeville, near the Virginia line, said Chuck Wolfe, spokesman for the Kentucky Office of Mine Safety and Licensing. Wolfe said Tuesday night the miner who was killed was the only person harmed. The miner was identified as Cornelius Yates, 44, of Shelbiana in Pike County, Wolfe said.
Police looking for leads in hit-and-run
Sioux Falls, SD - Greg Zuba saw the country - Florida, California, Pennsylvania, and all roads between. "He loved it. He loved being in his semi and going," said longtime friend Jennifer Brennan. That was until Zuba, from Erie, Pa., was killed Nov. 9 when he was crushed beneath the wheels of another trucker's vehicle in a hit-and-run accident at the Pilot Travel Center in Sioux Falls.
Physician recounts effort to save worker
Fredericksburg, VA - One of the physicians who tried to help Clara F. Aziere, 61 after she collapsed at Mary Washington Hospital last week has provided new details about the incident. Dr. Bradford L. King, a Fredericksburg surgeon, said yesterday that he was at the nurse's station on 4 North about 8:45 a.m., Friday when Aziere's body was discovered. Aziere, a respiratory therapist, was on duty that morning but had been missing since about 3:30 a.m., King said. Her colleagues had tried unsuccessfully to find her by paging her and by calling her cell phone. Finally, officials began a hospitalwide search.
Worker dies from injuries in explosion
Basking Ridge, NJ - A worker burned in a tanker truck explosion Tuesday in Hillsborough has died from his injuries. John Morella, 54, of the Basking Ridge section of Bernards, died early this morning at St. Barnabas hospital. Morella and Kevin Migliore, 37, of Dunellen were performing maintenance on an empty tanker truck used to haul liquid asphalt at Allied Oil on Old Camplain Road, when the explosion occurred. Migliore remains in critical condition at St. Barnabas Hospital burn unit in Livingston. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing.
Daytona Beach, FL - As black clouds blanketed the sky, dozens of firefighters, police officers, paramedics and hazardous materials inspectors worked feverishly to determine what prompted an explosion that rocked a city wastewater plant on the Halifax River on Wednesday morning. When the dust had settled, emergency officials and authorities discovered that one city worker was dead and two others had burns over most of their bodies. Four more city employees -- including a firefighter who had trouble breathing --were taken to Halifax Medical Center. Eric Johnson, the 59-year-old lead plant mechanic at the Bethune Point Wastewater Treatment Plant on Shady Place, was killed instantly, city officials said. His colleagues, maintenance workers Clyde Anthony Jones, 40, and Michael Martin, 42, were airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center with second- and third-degree burns, said EVAC ambulance spokesman Mark O'Keefe and Daytona Beach fire spokesman Lt. John King. more Blast claims 2nd Daytona worker. [Jones died the next day].
Mosaic Worker Killed
Mulberry, FL - A worker at a Mosaic plant was found dead early Thursday morning after an apparent fall, the Polk County Sheriff's Office reported. James McComic, 61, was found dead at 2:15 a.m. when two co-workers found him on a concrete ramp at the plant at 4390 County Road 640. He had a head injury and was unconscious, said sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Rodgers. The co-workers immediately called 911.
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Worker dies after being dragged down street by trailer
Punta Gorda, FL - A Punta Gorda construction worker died Tuesday after he fell between a co-worker's truck and trailer and was dragged 83 feet from Blue Lake Circle to Kindel Court, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. Edwin McNulty, 45, went to the back of the truck to remove something, said FHP Cpl. Duane Rolli. Driver Eduardo C. Ugarte, who did not notice McNulty behind the truck, drove forward. McNulty tried to keep up with the moving truck, but slipped and fell beneath the trailer. The driver and the victim lived at the same address on Dunedin Court in Punta Gorda. Rolli called it a tragic accident and said no one will be charged. Jogger Henry Reposa, 59, said "I saw a fellow fall, tumble and hit his head on the pavement." Reposa said he was the first to reach the victim, who was trying to get up. "I told him to lay back down."
Memorial service set for Orcutt man killed in the line of duty
Palo Alto, CA - The decorated police officer and Orcutt resident shot to death Saturday while on patrol for the East Palo Alto Police Department will be honored Thursday during a noon memorial service at the H.P. Pavilion in San Jose. Throngs of police officers, public officials, friends and family are expected at the event honoring Officer Richard May, the 38-year-old married father of three daughters who commuted to his job in the Bay Area city. Details of a Central Coast memorial service reportedly will be finalized today. May's friends and family were reeling Monday from his death.
Policeman's death linked to Sept. 11 cleanup?
New York, NY - Family members say James Zadroga died as a result of his work at Ground Zero, A young police officer who spent hours combing the wreckage at Ground Zero is being laid to rest today. Family members say 34-year-old James Zadroga died of the respiratory disease 'black lung,' which he contracted from dust and debris during the 9/11 rescue effort. Eyewitness News reporter Lisa Colagrossi is live in North Arlington, New Jersey where a service is being held. James Zadroga worked at Ground Zero for countless hours after 9/11 and now he has paid the ultimate price. Plagued by a respiratory disease that forced him onto disability, Zadroga died last week and today family and friends paid their last respects. Police officers from around New Jersey and the NYPD lined the street in front of Queen of Peace Church in North Arlington, all here to pay tribute to the highly-decorated 13-year veteran of the force.
MAN KILLED WHEN RIDEON MOWER ROLLS
Lyttleton, CT - A man was killed after he became trapped under a rideon mower at Lyttleton near Christchurch this morning. Emergency services were called when a member of the public reported a man trapped under a mower in Cornwall Street at 9.25am. The man was found to be dead when fire and ambulance crews arrived. Inspector Doug Parker of the Christchurch police said it appeared the man was mowing grass on a bank in the street when the machine rolled. Police and Occupational Safety and Health were investigating. The man's name was not yet available
OSHA looks into death in Springetts, Will examine equipment, review safety practices
Abbottstown, PA -- Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials are investigating an Abbottstown business where a man died Friday after being run over at a construction site. During the next several days investigators will look at equipment, review J.W. Paving Inc. safety practices and interview employees and witnesses to the incident, said Bob Fink, area director of OSHA's Harrisburg office. David Fahnestock, 36, of Mechanicsburg died Friday afternoon from multiple blunt force trauma about three hours after the incident.
Fahnestock, a dump truck driver, was at the site at 10 a.m. on Wynwood Road in Springettsbury Township when a colleague using a Bobcat struck him and ran over him, according to Springettsbury Township Police Lt. Scott Laird.
Worker's fall at store prompts OSHA probe
Redding, CA -- The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating an accident at McMahan’s Furniture warehouse in Redding that left a 25-year-old employee brain dead. The Shasta County coroner’s office identified the victim as Jeffrey Alan Hager of Redding. Hager fell about 32 feet Friday from a piece of equipment called a "picker," described as a forklift with a platform, which allows employees to stock and retrieve items, said Cal-OSHA spokesman Dean Fryer.
Authorities identify man killed in construction accident
Anaconda, MT - Authorities have released the name of the man who died last week in a construction accident at Opportunity Ponds east of here. The victim was Brian D. Nelson, 42, of Anaconda, said Anaconda-Deer Lodge Coroner Guy Monaco. Nelson and other Jordan Contracting employees were building a retaining pond at a storage site for mining waste from the Milltown Dam removal project. At about 3 p.m. Friday, the bulldozer he was driving fell from the top of a dike, broke through the ice and was submerged, authorities said. Divers from Butte and Anaconda were called to the scene and recovered Nelson's body Friday evening. Jordan Contracting officials on Monday referred questions to the Atlantic Richfield Company, which owns Opportunity Ponds.
Construction worker killed in power line accident
Fort, Myers, FL - A construction worker was killed Monday morning when his concrete pumping truck hit a high-voltage power line. The accident happened at NE 10th Place and 9th Street around 9:45 a.m. The victim, 30-year-old Daniel Burton of Fort Myers, was preparing to pour cement from the Pumpco truck when the vehicle's boom touched the power line. The truck caught fire. Officials don't know if the man died from electrocution or in the resulting fire.
Worker killed in South Side construction accident
Chicago, IL - A construction worker was killed Saturday afternoon when a concrete section of a South Side building he was working on collapsed, officials said. Kevin Ryan, 37, of the 400 block of West 107th Street in Oak Lawn, was pronounced dead at 2:38 p.m. in Stroger Hospital, the Cook County medical examiner's office said. At about 2 p.m., Ryan was working on an addition to De La Salle Institute's all-girls campus, 1040 W. 32nd Pl., connected to St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church, a Fire Department spokesman said. A concrete section of the addition fell on Ryan. The rest of the building addition was secure Saturday afternoon, and the construction company working on the project had the proper permits, Chicago Building Department spokesman Pete Scales said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, Scales said.
Well-liked dogcatcher dies at work
IAlton, L - City employees were shocked and distraught to hear that a popular, fellow worker apparently suffered a fatal heart attack Friday morning at the Alton Public Works building. James H. "Jeep" Greer Jr., 52, Alton assistant chief of animal control, collapsed at 7:41 a.m. near the bays inside the building, at 2 Emma L. Kaus Lane. Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn said an autopsy was planned today because of Greer’s age and because he was stricken at the workplace. A coroner’s inquest will be held later to rule on the cause of death.
Jewelry Store Owner Killed In Robbery Identified
Fremont, CA - The owner of a Fremont jewelry and loan business who was shot and killed in a robbery Friday morning has been identified as Ronald Morris, 55, according to the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau. Morris, a Fremont resident, was shot in the head at about 11 a.m. on Friday as a group of men forced an employee to the floor and stole six or seven guns from a store display case, according to Fremont police. Police responding to the shooting at the Fremont Jewelry and Loan Store in the 40000 block of Fremont Boulevard found Morris behind the counter with what looked like a gunshot wound to his head. Police said the employee was not injured. The robbers fled out the rear door of the store and drove away in a small, white four-door vehicle similar to a Toyota Camry, police said. The vehicle was last seen driving through a Kentucky Fried Chicken parking lot, adjacent to the jewelry and loan store, and then north on Fremont Boulevard.
Mason worker falls to his death
Riverview, FL - The 49-year-old Riverview man slipped off a scaffold at a jobsite in Plant City. A mason worker fell to his death Friday morning while doing a job in a Plant City subdivision, and Hillsborough sheriff's officials are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine whether a medical problem prompted the 49-year-old man to fall from a scaffold. Daniel Edward Wiggins, of 12301 Spotswood Drive in Riverview, was taking measurements while walking on a scaffold about 5 feet off the ground. It was 7:43 a.m., and Wiggins was part of an Ace Masonry crew working in the Swiss Creek subdivision. A foreman with Ace Masonry saw Wiggins walk off the scaffolding, and Wiggins fell to the concrete floor below, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter. Wiggins died at the scene.
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Insurance adjuster killed inspecting Wilma damage
COOPER CITY, Fla. - An insurance adjuster was killed when he fell inspecting a roof damaged by Hurricane Wilma, authorities said. Alon Arad, 56, of Bethesda, Md., died Thursday after falling about nine feet from the roof or a ladder as he inspected a home in this Fort Lauderdale suburb, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said. Arad was lying unconscious in the driveway of the home. He was taken to a hospital, where he died an hour later. He was working as an independent contractor for State Farm Insurance.
SOUTH SF WORKER FOUND DEAD AFTER EIGHT-STORY FALL
San Francisco, CA - The South San Francisco Police Department is investigating the death of an Embassy Suites employee who fell from a hotel building on Thursday, police Lt. Mike Brosnan said today. Brosnan would not release any details of the incident other than to confirm that the deceased, San Mateo resident Leila Fungi, 34, was an employee at Embassy Suites. Fungi was discovered early in the morning Thursday on the grounds of the hotel located at 250 Gateway Blvd., San Mateo County Chief Deputy Coroner Tom Marriscolo said today. "She was eight floors down from where she was supposed to be,'' Marriscolo said. Hotel staff extended condolences to Fungi's family without commenting on how she died. "We have deepest sympathies for one of our team members,'' Rudy Ortiz, general manager of the South San Francisco Embassy Suites, said today. "It's unfortunate that the situation has happened and (a) great loss to family.'' The exact cause of Fungi's death is pending an autopsy scheduled for today, Marriscolo said.
Killed in a construction accident
Ohio -- A contractor working on a home renovation was killed in a construction accident on Thursday afternoon. Ronald Brook, 60, of Amelia, was getting ready to pour a concrete footer along a private drive off Hickory Creek Drive when the machine he was riding flipped forward. Brook hit his head and was dead by the time rescue crews arrived at the home.
Former Cab Driver Warned Victim About Danger
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- One day after a female cab driver was shot, killed and stuff in the trunk of her taxi, but a former cab driver who survived an earlier shooting talked about the dangers of the job. He also talked about the victim -- a friend whom he warned against driving at night. Jeff Shelley started driving cabs in 1972, but he gave it up in 2004 -- six months after he was shot in the neck by a passenger. "I thought he was going for some cash, and he shot me in the neck with a .22," Shelley said. "I turned around, saw the gun, tried to get out, and he shot me again in the ear and blew the window out." Shelley talked about his experience one day after he found out his former co-worker and friend, Denise Manning, was killed and stuffed in the trunk of her cab. "She liked working nights for some reason, and I don't know why," Shelley told Channel 4's Melanie Lawson. "I used to tell her she ought to be safe and get a gun."
Insurance agent shot dead near his office in Newton, DA says victim slain by 'assassin'
Newton, NY - A 39-year-old insurance agent was shot to death in his car in a Newton parking garage yesterday morning, the victim of someone Middlesex District Attorney Martha Coakley said could be called an ''assassin." Edward Schiller, an employee of Aronson Insurance Agency Inc. who friends said grew up in Sudbury and lived in Framingham, was discovered at about 9:30 a.m. by a worker in his office building near the busy corner of Boylston Street and Langley Road, near the Mall at Chestnut Hill. Coakley said Schiller was shot at least once in the head at close range in what she said could be labeled an execution. He was found slumped behind the wheel, and the driver's door was open. ''It certainly does not appear random," Coakley said during a press conference at the scene.
Collapse of Restaurant Roof Kills Worker in N.J.
Union Township, NJ - An accident in Hunterdon County, New Jersey has taken the life of a construction worker. The man was killed this morning when a roof collapsed at the Grand Colonial Restaurant in mship. Sometime after 8 o'clock this morning the roof of this still-under-construction banquet hall came crashing down. (16:15 Stand up) Authorities said after the roof collapsed, one construction worker was crushed under a block of concrete. (:55) "There's wood, there's concrete -- a lot of debris and he's trapped underneath it." James Devaner -- an employee of the Central Jersey Construction Corporation was pronounced dead on the scene. "He is deceased, they're making arrangements to remove his body at this time."
Kilbuck man dies in steel plant accident
McKees Rocks, PA - A Kilbuck man died when a steel beam fell on him at a McKees Rocks steel plant. Kent Nuss, 35, died from blunt force trauma to the chest, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office said Friday. McKees Rocks police Officer James Samarco said the accident occurred Thursday at the MSSI steel plant on John Street.
Driver killed in train accident was Jordan man
Jordan, MN - Police have identified the driver who was killed after his semitrailer truck was hit by a train Thursday in Jordan as Scott Clyde Fahrenkamp, 35, of Jordan. Police say the railroad crossing was marked and had stop signs, but no crossing arms. Witnesses told police the driver slowed for the stop sign but then drove onto the tracks. The train pushed the semi down the tracks about 50 yards. The engineer suffered minor injuries. The truck's cab was aflame when police arrived. Passing motorists attempted a rescue, but the heat drove them back.
Bourbon dairy farmer killed in 3-vehicle crash, Tuesday morning accident under investigation
PLYMOUTH, IN -- Well-known Bourbon dairy farmer Michael "Hal" Apple, 63, was killed in a three-vehicle accident early Tuesday morning. Marshall County Sheriff's Sgt. Howard Lamaster said the incident happened about 6:50 a.m. Tuesday at the intersection of U.S. 30 and Beech Road. Lamaster said Apple, who was northbound on Beech Road, allegedly pulled out in front of a vehicle driven by James Lehman, 62, of rural Plymouth. Lehman is a former Plymouth police officer, according to Plymouth Mayor Gary Cook. Lehman was eastbound on U.S. 30, police said.
Paper mill worker crushed to death, Merritt, 52, fixing machine at time; inquiry launched
GEORGETOWN, SC - A Georgetown man was pinned and killed in machinery designed to grab and hold logs at International Paper's Sampit Lumber Mill, Georgetown County Coroner Kenny Johnson said. Two International Paper workers and one other worker have died at International Paper in Georgetown County since 2001, Johnson said. James Merritt, 52, a maintenance worker at the Sampit mill, died about 5:16 p.m. Tuesday, Johnson said.
Officials ID Worker Killed at I-40, Coors
Albuquerque, NM - State transportation officials today identified a construction worker who died when the roller he was driving fell about 35 feet from an offramp at an Interstate 40 construction site. Melvin K. Lucero, 52, of Albuquerque died about 3 a.m. Tuesday. He sustained head injuries in the fall, authorities said. Work was scheduled to resume this afternoon.
CTA worker found dead, Man dies after touching third rail of the Green Line
Chicago, IL - CTA officials and the Chicago Fire Department are investigating the death of a 47 year old CTA employee whose body was found on the Green Line tracks in the West Loop shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday. The victim was found at the Clinton Street station, 540 W. Lake Street, across the street from CTA headquarters, said CTA spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler. Ziergler said the man worked in the CTA’s headquarters as a project manager in the technology management department, and was not assigned to work on the tracks. Ziegler said the man did report to work Tuesday around 8 a.m. The CTA does not know whether any passengers saw the incident, or whom made the initial report, Ziegler said. The person’s identity was not released pending notification of family members.
"The individual did make contact with the third rail," Ziegler said. An employee at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said an autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday, after press time. Green Line service was suspended both ways between California Avenue and the Clark/Lake station in the Loop until about 10 a.m., when track power was restored. The CTA provided a shuttle bus during the shutdown.
Worker dies in Avondale accident
AVONDALE, La. A shipfitter at Northrop Grumman's Avondale shipyard died at the facility when he fell into a tank filled with water. The company said in a statement yesterday, that 59-year-old Sammy Giovingo of Hammond was working on the dry dock of the West Bank yard when he fell Monday morning. Giovingo was treated at the scene and pronounced dead at West Jefferson Medical Center. The company's statement did not state the exact cause of Giovingo's death and company spokeswoman Paige Eaton could offer no comment beyond the written statement. The fatality has been reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which regulates workplace safety. This is the first accident to result in a death at the Avondale shipbuilder since 2003, when Mervin Charles fell 54 feet after backing his forklift into a ship.
Death blamed on high winds, Gusts send walls of storage tank crashing in on scaffolding
Deer Park, TX - High winds — gusting to more than 40 mph — were blamed for the death Tuesday of a man who fell off a scaffold while constructing a tank in Deer Park and for power failures that affected at least 30,000 customers. The man and another worker were on the inside of a storage tank in the 2600 block of Tidal Road when a part of the tank wall collapsed about 2:30 p.m., said Sgt. Dana Wolfe, Harris County sheriff's spokeswoman. The other man was injured in the fall. Both worked for a company contracted by Intercontinental Terminals Company to build the tanker. "Wind gusts collapsed a portion of the wall, which collapsed inward and broke the scaffolding on which the two workers were working," Wolfe said. One man was pronounced dead at the scene. His colleague was taken by Life Flight helicopter to an area hospital. Their names were withheld pending notification of family.
Crews work to clean up I-70 after deadly crash
Columbia,MO --A Louisiana man was killed and another man was injured in an early-morning crash Sunday that left their tractor-trailer engulfed in flames on Interstate 70, just east of Columbia. The truck, which was carrying 200 cylinders of flammable acetylene gas, apparently was traveling from Kansas City when it left the road, overturned and caught fire in the eastbound shoulder of the highway near the Route Z exit. The cause of the crash, which killed Robert Pennington, 38, of Kenner, La., is under investigation. A passenger in the truck, Ricky Ard, 33, also of Kenner, was injured in the crash and was treated at University Hospital. Boone County firefighters were called to the scene at about 6 a.m. Sunday, where they found Ard outside the cab of the burning truck. Fire crews attempted to push flames off the truck cab, where
Police Name Worker Killed At Restaurant
Baltimore, MD - Baltimore police have released the name of a restaurant worker who was shot to death in the city's Greektown neighborhood. The shooting occured about 9:30 p.m. Sunday at La Baha on South Newkirk Street. Police said Jose Mendoza, 40, was shot during an apparent robbery and died later at Bayview Medical Center. Police are looking for seven unidentified men who left the area in three vehicles.
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Worker crushed to death at northwest Harris County plant
HOUSTON A worker was killed today when he was apparently crushed in a hydraulic winch at dump-truck assembly plant in northwestern suburban Houston. Workers at the Strong Industries plant say they heard a loud boom before dawn today and found the man's body trapped in the machine. No word yet on the dead man's identity nor how he became trapped in the machine.
Autopsy results pending on worker
UNION TWP., NJ - Results from an autopsy performed on James M. Devaney, the construction worker killed Friday after a roof frame and cinder block wall collapsed at the Grand Colonial restaurant and banquet facility, will be released by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office, said Steve Diamond, the county medical examiner. On Monday Prosecutor J. Patrick Barnes said he hadn't reviewed the autopsy report yet. Barnes said he was also waiting for the results of routine toxicology tests. Devaney, 28, of Seaside Heights, N.J., was killed and three other workers injured in the collapse, which happened at an addition under construction behind the Colonial-era landmark restaurant off Route 173 in Hunterdon County -- formerly the Coach N' Paddock restaurant. Investigations by the New Jersey State Police at Perryville and officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are ongoing.
Woman crushed in forklift accident
Newville, PA - The family of a Newville-area woman killed in a weekend forklift mishap was grieving and awaiting answers yesterday as local, state and federal authorities investigated her death. Cathy Tilden, 47, of Conodoguinet Mobile Estates, died just after 1 p.m. Sunday when the stand-up forklift she was driving backed into a metal grate at the Ames True Temper distribution center in Dickinson Twp., Cumberland County Coroner Michael Norris said. Tilden died from crushing injuries, he said.
Cal OSHA Investigates Worker’s Fatal Fall
Berkeley, CA -- The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has launched an investigation into the fall that claimed the life of a construction worker at the new Berkeley City College Building. Robert Walton, a 58-year-old Oakland man, sustained fatal injuries when he fell four stories while working on the new community college building at 2000 Center St. Cal/OSHA spokesperson Renee Bacchini said investigators were on the scene of the Jan. 3 accident soon after the accident. Walton was rushed to Highland Hospital, where he died a week later on Jan. 10. The Alameda County Coroner’s officer attributed the cause of death to “multiple blunt force injuries.” Bacchini said Walton was applying stucco to the surface of the building from a scaffolding at the time of the accident. “He fell from four stories up,” she said. Walton was an employee of J&J Acoustics, a San Jose firm.
Investigation into plane mechanic's death continues
El Paso, TX - Federal aviation experts and local police today will continue to investigate how an airplane mechanic was sucked into a plane's jet engine and killed Monday in what officials said is a rare occurrence that stunned passengers and employees at El Paso International Airport. The mechanic, whose name was withheld until relatives could be notified, had been working on the plane about 9 a.m. when he was suddenly pulled into the jet engine of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737 bound for Houston. "It was a Boeing 737 and it was doing an engine run up for a maintenance problem and a person was sucked into the engine," said Roland Herwig, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Oklahoma City. Herwig referred further inquiries to the office of the National Transportation Safety Board in Denver. Officials would not say what kind of maintenance was being performed on the plane.
TxDOT employee killed by machinery, Veteran inspector first TxDOT fatality since 2001
Cedear Park,TX - A veteran Texas Department of Transportation worker was killed Sunday after he apparently walked into the path of a road construction machine. Sean Hayes, 49, of Cedar Park was hit about noon by a pneumatic roller at a road construction site on West Whitestone Boulevard (RM 1431) and Bagdad Road in Cedar Park, according to John Hurt, a spokesman for the department. Hayes died instantly, Hurt said.
Floor collapses, killing 1 worker, injuring 2 others
Springfield, MA - A construction worker was killed and another was seriously injured when the top floor of a dilapidated building they were demolishing collapsed yesterday afternoon. A mechanic from the neighboring S&L Automotive Service shop received minor injuries when beams, bricks and debris pelted the building, caving in the roof and damaging two outside walls, said Deputy Fire Chief W. Timothy Nelson. Both employees of Associated Building Wreckers Inc. were taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield after the 1 p.m. collapse. Herbert Marcollier, 42, died at the hospital and Aaron Law, 30, was admitted with serious injuries, Fire Chief David A. LaFond said.
Pawn shop owner shot to death
Queens, NY - It is unclear whether a pawn shop shooting was a robbery or some kind of dispute. What is clear is the a pawn shop worker is dead -- shot in the head. And now police are looking for a killer. It happened on Atlantic Avenue in the Ozone Park section of Queens. Police say he had been shot once in the face. He died before the ambulance could make it to Jamaica Hospital. Carlos Bustamante, eyewitness: "He said he was in the store when he heard a shot and he just stood there." Law enforcement sources say the victim is a 40-year-old man who owned this pawn shop specializing in jewelry. Earlier Thursday night, someone walked into the store and ended up shooting the victim. Resident: "Everybody knows Ritchie around here." Area residents say the victim is well known in this community. They say he was a man who was generous with his time and money.
Coroner's office investigating man's death in work accident
CARLISLE, PA — A Carlisle man who was involved in an industrial accident Thursday afternoon died. According to the Cumberland County Coroner's office, Leroy Jumper, 51, died around 4:30 p.m. at Frog Switch and Manufacturing on East High Street when a steel beam fell on him. The beam was attached to a cable that Jumper was adjusting. Todd C. Eckenrode, chief deputy coroner, said Jumper died as a result of crushing injuries. The coroner's office is continuing the investigation and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been notified. This is the second death this week that involved a work-related accident in Cumberland County. Cathy Tilden, 47, Newville, died Sunday when the stand-up forklift she was operating pinned her against a metal gate and crushed her at the True Temper warehouse in Dickinson Township.
Worker killed when radio tower falls
LAGUNA VISTA, Texas A 33-year-old man working on a state transportation department radio tower in South Texas is dead after the tower fell on him. Cameron County sheriff's officials say Candelario Duque (DOO'-kay) worked for Western Towers of San Angelo. They say the San Angelo man was working on replacing the tower on State Highway 100, near Laguna Vista, when the tower fell yesterday afternoon. Investigators still haven't determined what caused the accident. But the National Weather Service reported sustained winds of 25 to 30 miles per hour with gusts of 40 to 45 miles per hour in the area.
Bull attack kills dairy farmer, despite son's heroism
Breese, IL - Family and friends in this tight-knit community mourned the death of a well-known dairy farmer who died from injuries he received when a bull charged and pinned him against a wall. Clinton County authorities said Matt Hilmes had just finished feeding his herd of Holsteins at the family farm east of Breese late Wednesday afternoon when the 2,000-pound bull attacked him, pinning him against a wall. "It hit him twice," said his son Brandon, 11, who was on a tractor nearby when the attack occurred. "It walked a little bit, then hit him again." Brandon Hilmes tried to save his father by driving a tractor toward the bull and using its scoop to fend off the animal.
Commercial fisherman, 56, dies in collision on Patapsco
Baltimore, MD - One man died and two others were hospitalized yesterday after a commercial fishing boat collided with a tugboat and capsized in the Patapsco River, the Coast Guard said. The three men from the 29-foot fishing boat were pulled from the 40-degree water after the accident, two of them by crews of other tugboats that were nearby, the third by a crew from the Coast Guard's Curtis Bay station, said Wayne Lake, a Coast Guard civilian duty officer. The accident happened about 2 p.m. near the Key Bridge, according to Lake, who said none of the crew aboard the tug - the Richard M. Lowry, owned by Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. of Staten Island, N.Y. - was injured. Vincent Lee Jordan Sr., 56, was pronounced dead at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. His son, Vincent Lee Jordan Jr., 33, was being treated at Bayview, while the other man, Dale Edward Monroe, 31, was being treated at Mercy Medical Center, Lake said.
Quartz slabs crush worker removing ice
Bronx, NY - A worker trying to break ice from quartz at a stone outlet in Queens was crushed to death yesterday when the slabs broke loose and fell on him, police said. Philip Santiago, 27, of the Bronx, died shortly after nearly 2,800 pounds of quartz - used to make kitchen countertops - toppled onto him in an outdoor lot at CaesarStone Quartz Supply on 19th Ave. in Astoria. The 10-foot-by-5-foot slabs were hoisted off Santiago, and he was rushed to Queens Hospital Center. But he died on the way, police said. The heavy slabs - which are fastened together lengthwise and stacked around the lot - came loose and fell about 5:50 p.m. Crime-scene tape surrounded an area where several slabs had tumbled down at the distribution center. A forklift stood several feet away, and blood covered the ground. nAn employee at CaesarStone hung up on a reporter last night.
Georgia trucker killed helping motorist at wreck
SCRANTON, PA - A Georgia truck driver who stopped to help a woman trapped in an overturned car has been killed after another tractor-trailer struck the car and his truck in Pennsylvania. State police say 57-year-old Robert Allen of Valdosta, Georgia, was driving south on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Scranton and pulled over when he saw an overturned car on the icy road shortly before midnight Monday. As Allen got out to help, a tractor-trailer driven by 55-year-old Frederick Fletcher of Chesapeake, Virginia, swerved to avoid the car but struck both the car and Allen's truck. Both trucks went down a 25-foot embankment. Allen was near the rear of his truck when it was hit. Police say he was taken to Community Medical Center in Scranton, where he was pronounced dead. Officials say Fletcher and the driver of the car, 22-year-old Amanda Schnell of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, had minor injuries.
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N.C. fisherman killed when boat capsizes off Virginia coast
Washington, NC. -- The body of a North Carolina fisherman missing Wednesday after a boat capsized was found on the beach on Assateague Island, the Coast Guard said. Two other members of the crew were rescued. The body of Ted Daniels, from Washington, N.C., was found about 11:40 a.m., the Coast Guard said. His age was not available. Daniels and two other fishermen were on the Capt. Zach, a 58-foot fishing vessel homeported in Wanchese, N.C., when it capsized as they were entering Chincoteague Inlet.
A doorman falls to death from condo downtown
Boston, MA - A doorman for the Four Seasons Place condominiums plunged to his death yesterday on a bustling boulevard across the street from the Boston Common and the Public Garden. The doorman, identified by a Four Seasons staff member as Hercilio ''Ciro" Hasse, fell from the rooftop of the 12-story luxury complex at Boylston Street and Charles Street South at about 1:30 p.m., police said. It was not clear yesterday what had caused Hasse's fall, though police initially said they do not believe foul play was involved.
Sheriff's deputy killed in crash
LANCASTER, Ohio -- A sheriff's deputy lost control of his cruiser, crashed into a utility pole and was killed while on a call to assist a police officer, the sheriff said. Ethan Collins, 29, was just the second Fairfield County deputy to die in the line of duty.
He was pronounced dead at the scene just outside Lancaster on state Route 188. With lights and siren on, Collins was headed west to Lithopolis about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday to help a police officer chasing a person believed to be carrying a knife, Sheriff Dave Phalen said.
"The Lithopolis police officer was able to get the situation under control and called off our assistance," Phalen said. "But it was already too late." Speed was a factor in the crash, said Lt. Gary Lewis, commander of the Lancaster post of the State Highway Patrol.
Collins, of Bremen, is survived by a wife, son and daughter
WORKER SLAIN IN BOTCHED HEIST
Brooklyn, NY -- EW YORK -- A gunman shot and killed a clerk at a clothing store in Brooklyn during a robbery attempt Tuesday afternoon, police said.
Amadou Sawou, 45, had been running Jack's Sportwear in Brownsville for the owner, who was on vacation, police said.
A gunman walked into the shop at 4:30 p.m. and fired three shots, police said.
Sawou was hit once in the chest and stumbled outside the store, where people on the street called police. He was pronounced dead on the way to Brookdale University Hospital.
Sawou had tried to stop the robbery, police said. Officers said the gunman ran before getting any cash.
Truck driver killed on I-25
Denver, CO -- A semi-truck driver was killed on I-25 this morning, when his rig collided with another carrying mail.
The Colorado State Patrol says that the 62-year-old man from Alberta, Canada was carrying a truckload of chocolate bits on I-25 north of Fort Collins. He has not yet been identified.
The driver carrying U.S. mail is Robert Griffis, 31, from Thornton. He was taken to Poudre Valley Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Witnesses say both trucks were traveling in the right lane of northbound I-25 when the truck driven by Griffis rolled on its side. The chocolate truck hit the trailer, splitting it open and scattering thousands of pieces of mail.
Truck driver killed after rig flips on Route 322
LEMONT, CA -- A Nescopeck man was killed Wednesday in a tractor-trailer crash along a stretch of U.S. Route 322 where local police and fire officials say they see an unusual number of crashes.
Benjamin Potter, 45, was killed near the East Branch Road overpass on Route 322 when, said State College police, the rig he was driving approached a curve in the roadway and flipped over.
Centre County Coroner Scott Sayers said Potter died of a closed head injury.
East Palo Alto man arrested in shooting death of police officer
EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Authorities arrested a 23-year-old man on Sunday in the fatal shooting of a police officer who was gunned down while taking a teenager on a ride-along.
Alberto Alvarez, of East Palo Alto, was taken into custody after an intense manhunt around 6 a.m. in East Palo Alto, where the shooting took place, according the California Highway Patrol.
Officer Richard May, 38, was responding to a disturbance at the Villa Taqueria off University Avenue when the incident occurred around 5 p.m. Saturday, police said. The officer was approaching the suspect, who was walking away from the business, when the man turned around and opened fire on May, police said.
POLE HITS WIRE; TREE TRIMMER DIES
Fort Lauderdale, FL -- A tree trimmer died Thursday after the pole he was using to prune a tree hit a power line.
The 38-year-old man was working about 8:30 a.m. in the 2000 block of Intracoastal Drive when he hit the overhead line, said Division Chief Bill Banks, with Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue.
The man died at Broward General Medical Center.
Police did not release the man's name and his exact cause of death was unknown.
Brooklyn police officer responding to call collapses, dies
Brooklyn, NY -- A Brooklyn patrolman died from an apparent heart attack while responding to an unfounded report of a man with gun, police said Tuesday.
Officer Francis Hennessy, 35, collapsed at about 9:35 p.m. Monday after exiting a patrol car in the Flatbush section. He was pronounced dead at a hospital about two hours later.
Hennessy, who was married with two children, had joined the police force in 1997.
Colorado truck driver killed in crash with train
KINSLEY Kan. -- A Colorado man was killed Monday when the tractor-trailer he was driving was hit by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway train at a crossing in Edwards County, the Kansas Highway Patrol said.
Rodney K. Crum, 48, of Holly, Colo., was pronounced dead at the Edwards County Hospital and Health Care Center after the crash on a county road northeast of Kinsley. The patrol said he was not wearing a seatbelt.
Nobody on the train was hurt in the crash.
Man dies in East Dublin plant accident
East Dublin, -- After 26 years in operation, SP Newsprint suffered its first fatal accident Tuesday.
Doyle Wiggins, 58, one of the plant's original employees, died after getting caught in machinery, said Pete Labella, the plant's vice president of human resources.
"The plant is devastated," Labella said. "He's been here a long time, and he's got a lot of close friends. A lot of employees are having a hard time dealing with this."
Labella said the plant would release more details about the accident after an investigation is completed. He would only say that the plant was shut down for routine maintenance at the time of the accident, and Wiggins was caught in machinery while working on it.
The plant originally was supposed to resume operating after the maintenance, but it was shut down indefinitely following the accident. Employees were given the option of going home, and many did, Labella said. He was not sure when the plant would resume operating.
The plant had injuries before, he said, but Wiggins' death was the first fatality. SP Newsprint has won several safety awards in the past, he said.
Worker Dies In Anderson Construction Site Accident
ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A contractor working on a home renovation was killed in a construction accident on Thursday afternoon.
Ronald Brook, 60, of Amelia, was getting ready to pour a concrete footer along a private drive off Hickory Creek Drive when the machine he was riding flipped forward.
Brook hit his head and was dead by the time rescue crews arrived at the home.
Taxi Driver Found Dead in Trunk of Cab
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A homicide investigation is underway in Durkeeville following the discovery of the body of a taxi cab driver in the trunk of her cab.
The victim has been identified as 48-yr-old Denise Manning of Jacksonville.
Police found her body in the trunk of her taxi cab early Wednesday morning. Gator City Taxi says it received a distress call from the cab early Wednesday morning and called JSO.
Police say Manning was reported missing around 3:30 Wednesday morning.
Laborer falls to his death at Chicago State University
Chicago, IL -- A construction worker fell to his death Wednesday morning while working on a project at Chicago State University, police said.
The accident happened about 9 a.m. in the 9500 block of South King Drive, a police spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman Wednesday night said she did not have more details about the fall.
The man, whose name was withheld by the Cook County medical examiner's office pending family notification, was 44 years old and lived on the South Side, police said.
The man worked for the Castle Construction Corporation of Markham, said David Blanchette, spokesman for the state's Capital Development Board, which oversees state construction projects.
Okla. DOT worker killed in accident
CADDO, OK - An Oklahoma Department of Transportation worker was killed Wednesday evening when a tractor-trailer ran over him as he was flagging traffic on U.S. Highway 75, near Caddo.
According to police reports, the victim, 59-year-old Judd Faudree, was on the shoulder in a construction area when the semi, driven by 32-year-old Patrick Walker of Dallas, hit and killed him.
The trooper's report states that Mr. Faudree jumped out of the way of the oncoming truck, but the truck swerved into that lane. The man jumped back into the other lane and the truck again swerved back and hit him.
Mr. Faudree was pronounced dead at the scene of massive head injuries.
Truck driver killed in I-90 accident
EDGERTON, WI-An Illinois truck driver died when his rig left Interstate 90/39 at 5:30 a.m. Thursday in southern Dane County, the State Patrol reported.
Officials said Friday they did not know what caused Eric P. Wicks, 32, of Seneca, Ill., to lose control of the semitrailer truck.
"There was no obvious reason for the crash, no other vehicles involved, so a medical condition could be a possibility," said Sgt. Eugene Wagner of the State Patrol.
The rig was northbound when it crossed the median and the southbound lanes before rolling onto its side in the southbound ditch.
Wicks, who was wearing a seat belt, was "deceased upon arrival," according to a State Patrol news release.
Sheriff's Deputy Killed In Crash En Route To Call
A Trinity County Sheriff's deputy has been killed in a one-car accident while he was heading to a call. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
DPS says 42 year-old Deputy Lester Dewayne Tatum was running with lights and his siren down FM 355 south of Groveton around 7:00 p.m. last night. Trinity County Sheriff Jimmy Smith tells us Tatum lost control of his cruiser in a sharp curve and struck a tree. He died at the scene.
Sheriff Smith says he was heading to a call in the Carlisle community, and the DPS report doesn't say whether speed was a factor. Funeral arrangements for Tatum are pending.
Driver killed in I-405 tanker truck crash
BELLEVUE, WA -- The northbound lanes of Interstate 405 were shut down all day Saturday after a tanker truck turned over and its driver died.
The man's identity was not available Saturday evening.
Authorities believe the man had a heart attack, causing him to lose control of the double-tanker truck, which became separated from its fuel tanks when the vehicle jack-knifed.
The incident occurred about 11 a.m. between Interstate 90 and Coal Creek Parkway.
Trooper struck and killed by truck on highway
MONAHANS, Texas -- A trooper was struck and killed by a pickup truck while he was conducting a traffic stop on westbound Interstate 20, the Department of Public Safety said.
Billy Jack Zachary, 32, had two vehicles pulled over on the shoulder Sunday, one was parked behind his patrol vehicle and another in front of it. As he walked away from the vehicle parked behind his, Zachary was hit by a pickup truck heading west on the highway, said Cpl. Kathy Briggs.
The collision sent the trooper into the ditch and the truck went on to strike the rear of the patrol car, Briggs said.
CHP officer killed in crash while responding to call
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A California Highway Patrol officer responding to a highway accident scene was killed when a car lost control and crashed into him.
Lt. Mike Walker had pulled over onto the shoulder of Highway 17 in the Santa Cruz Mountains around 10 p.m. Saturday to assist other officers and a California Department of Transportation worker, said CHP spokesman Sgt. Wayne Ziese.
Walker, 47, was setting up road flares to block off the accident scene when a 2000 Audi lost control and plowed into the back of the parked Caltrans truck, which then struck Walker, Ziese said.
