Sunday, May 28, 2006

Weekly Toll

A partial listing of workers killed over the past couple of weeks. Sometimes it seems like they came in groups. Six workers were killed in convenience store killings, eight from falls, five migrant workers were killed in van accidents and seven coal miners died.


Construction Worker Dies On Mosaic Site

A construction worker was killed Friday after he was trapped in a bulldozer that sank under water on Mosaic Co. property in Southwest Polk County, the Polk Sheriff's Office reported.

John Frymire
, 58, of Bartow, was inside the bulldozer, filling in dirt in a phosphate pit when the bulldozer sank under water in the pit, said sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Rodgers. Frymire was trapped inside, Rodgers said.

Frymire was working for the Lakeland-based McDonald Construction Corporation, which specializes in excavation and phosphate mining.

Man dies when tractor overturns

LODI, CA - A man died Saturday when the tractor he was driving overturned into a ditch filled with water west of Lodi, authorities said.

The unidentified man was pronounced dead at the scene on Glasscock Road just north of Highway 12, Woodbridge Rural Fire District officials said.


Worker killed in hit-and-run in Modesto

Modesto, CA -- A man tying to tie down gear on a work trailer died Friday afternoon when he was hit by a sport utility vehicle, whose driver then fled, Modesto police said.

Co-workers identified the victim as 52-year-old Jeff McKinney of Manteca. He was taken to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, where he was pronounced dead.

McKinney was part of an eight-man work crew that had just finished cleaning a home in the 600 block of Fourth Street, said Jerry King, a member of the cleaning crew.


Truck driver killed walking across exit along Interstate 580

DUBLIN, CA — A truck driver was struck and killed while walking across the Fallon Road exit along westbound Interstate 580 early Tuesday morning, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Pedro Aldaco, 31, of Porterville parked his big rig on the shoulder of the off-ramp shortly before 3:30 a.m. and walked into the roadway, officials said. He was struck and killed by a 2006 GMC Silverado traveling at about 50 mph.

Aldaco died from multiple blunt force injuries, according to the Alameda County Coroner's Office.


STORE MANAGER SHOT, KILLED; MANAGER DIDN'T RESIST ROBBER, CUSTOMER SAYS

Muhammad "Mo" Barsar tried to make a living for 14 years as a convenience store manager. It was hard getting clerks to work the late shift, so the 51-year-old spent many nights behind the register of Circle K on the corner of Military Trail and Purdy Lane in suburban West Palm Beach.

He was there shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday when a man in a ski mask demanded money.

The robber got the cash register drawer, but pulled the trigger of his handgun anyway. He shot Barsar at close range. The native of Faisalabad, Pakistan, who was raising his 15-year-old daughter in a Boynton Beach mobile home, died at the scene.


Man slain at Hwy. 101 bridge site identified


Oxnard, California --A welding inspector found stabbed to death near an underpass of the Santa Clara River Bridge was identified Thursday as Steven Knapp, 54, of Apple Valley.

When co-workers arrived for work around 6 a.m. Wednesday, they found Knapp lying on the ground by several large bridge pillars near the intersection of Wagon Wheel and Ventura roads. Knapp's 1996 red Toyota 4Runner SUV, which he often slept in at the job site, was missing, Oxnard Police Department Sgt. Jim Seitz said Thursday.


Farmer, 41, killed after being caught in auger


DEFIANCE, OH — A 41-year-old man was killed yesterday when he was pinned in a piece of farm equipment at his family's farm in Adams Township northeast of here, authorities said. David Wiemken was pronounced dead at the scene, Defiance County Sheriff David Westrick said. He and his brother were working in a grain silo on the farm in the 30000 block of Adams Ridge Road about 2:30 p.m. when he became entangled in the auger, the sheriff said.


Harrisburg convenience store clerk killed in holdup

HARRISBURG Pa. -- A man shot and killed a Harrisburg convenience store clerk during a holdup early Thursday, city officials said.

Hitender Thakur, 23, died after he was shot in the chest during the 1:15 a.m. robbery at City Gas and Diesel Mini Mart, Mayor Stephen R. Reed said in a news release. Police were called to the scene after a customer walked in a few minutes later and found Thakur's body, Reed said.

Video from the store's surveillance cameras showed the gunman pointing a handgun at Thakur through an open window, which the victim tried to slam shut before he was shot, Reed said.


Legal secretary killed outside law firm; suspect also dead

Kansas City, MO - Someone shot a legal secretary to death as she arrived at work this morning in Kansas City. Police hoped security video from a nearby business would lead them to her killer. But a man whom police considered a suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound later in the morning in Kansas City, Kan., police said. The woman, whom co-workers identified as Lisa Slaughter, was approaching the front door of the law offices at 410 West 89th St. when she was shot.



Father Of Slain Officer Speaks Out

Norfolk, VA -- Ronald Williams said his son died doing the job he loved. Sunday night, Norfolk Police Officer Seneca Darden was shot and killed by another officer. "I wish he wasn't in police work, but he loved it," said Ronald. "He loved his job. Ronald said his son wasn't just a good officer, but a good person with a loving heart. The 25-year-old officer left behind a wife and three-year-old daughter.


Havana men laid to rest, 24-year-olds died in well accident Friday

Havana, IL - The two Havana men killed in a well accident on Friday were laid to rest Tuesday. Funeral services for 24-year-olds Aaron Pettet and Jay Dye were held at the Hurley funeral home in Havana. The two men were working on a well when they were overcome by a strong substance when they collapsed and died on Friday. The EPA did air and water tests which didn't reveal anything. The Illinois Department of Public Health is monitoring the well water until its deemed safe to drink. OSHA is also investigating.


Clerk Killed During Store Robbery

San Antonio, TX -- Two suspects gun down a northwest side convenience store clerk, and it's all caught on surveillance video. Police say two men are wanted on capital murder charges after killing 33-year old Sundeep Singh early Wednesday morning.

Investigators say this isn't the first time that store was robbed. In the past year alone, it was hit twice. The second time, the clerk fought back his attackers, who took off on foot.


Family of man who fell seeks answers

Tarpon, Springs, FL - The mother of a Tarpon Springs man who fell to his death at a St. Petersburg construction site wonders how safe conditions were. The family of a 25-year-old Tarpon Springs man killed on a construction site this week is questioning whether working conditions were safe. Jarrad R. Sussman was not wearing a safety harness or protective gear when he fell 33 feet Tuesday afternoon through roof panels at the Valpak construction site in St. Petersburg.


Cargo worker found dead at LAX


Los Angeles, CA - Paramedics discovered man lying on loading machine's tracks with a chest bruise. Co-workers say they didn't see what happened. A freight handler was found dead Monday in a cargo facility at Los Angeles International Airport, possibly crushed to death by a heavy lifting machine. The 54-year-old Los Angeles man, whose identity was not released, had no obvious crushing injuries except for a bruise across his upper chest. But he was bleeding heavily from the nose and mouth when firefighters and paramedics arrived, and was declared dead soon after at Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center in Inglewood.


Details Emerge in Shooting Death of Police Officer

Dearborn Heights, MI - The Dearborn Heights community is mourning the loss of a police officer that was shot and killed in the line of duty. Officer Jason Makowski came from a long line officers, and he knew what it meant to protect and serve. 31-year-old Officer Jason Makowski, an 11 year veteran, was among several area law enforcement officials responding to 911 calls about an out of control gunman Wednesday. When the wife of 61-year-old Jeffery Wolf returned home Wednesday night, her husband told her that someone was going to die, or someone was going to get shot.


Construction worker dies in fall from 2nd story on N.J. job

SPARKILL, NJ - Family and friends of a man killed in an accident on a construction job in River Vale, N.J., were mourning their loved one yesterday.

On Monday, 65-year-old Marco DeJesus Lemus Galdamez was working on a new home at 203 Hoiem Court, when he fell from the second story, according to reports.


Worker dies in fall off warehouse roof

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- A demolition crew supervisor died after he fell off the roof of a warehouse near the site of the new Indianapolis Colts stadium.

Fifty-eight-year-old Chuck Parker of Brownsburg was working on the roof yesterday when he fell about 25 feet, the Marion County coroners office says. An attorney for the company Parker worked for says Parker was wearing a safety harness. He was pronounced dead at Wishard Memorial Hospital.

Parker worked for Environmental Assurance Company, which specializes in environmental demolition and asbestos removal.


Painter dies after fall from tower at Culkin

Jackson, MS - An Indiana man died after falling about 50 feetWednesday from a cell phone tower he was painting off Culkin Road. Jack Pellow, 48, of Dale, Ind., was pronounced dead at University Medical Center in Jackson at 2:56 p.m., said UMC spokesman Thyrie Bland. Exact cause of death has not been determined, said Warren County Coroner John Thomason. An autopsy, required by state law for on-the-job deaths, is set to be performed today or Friday by state pathologist Steven Hayne at Mississippi Mortuary Services in Pearl.


Crucen killed in industrial accident

Las Cruces, NM -- A 65-year-old Las Cruces man was killed Friday in an industrial accident in the 1000 block of West Amador Avenue, according to police. Gilbert Arellano, 65, was flown to Thomason Hospital in El Paso, where he later died.


Ironworker snagged, killed while working on elevator

Cambridge, MA - Rescuers had to climb at least 70 feet above Cambridge yesterday to retrieve the body of an ironworker who died while working on an elevator. The 47-year-old victim, whose name was withheld until family could be notified, was dead when fire rescue crews arrived at 500 Technology Square. The man was found wedged in the elevator's external mechanisms
, Cambridge Deputy Fire Chief Edward Mahoney said. "He got caught and he was trapped up there," said Mahoney, who assisted in the delicate hours-long process. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Cambridge Inspectional Services were on the scene last night along with police and fire officials.


Highway worker killed in accident south of St. Louis

FESTUS, Mo. - A highway worker was killed and two others injured when they were struck by a pickup truck on Interstate 55 in Jefferson County, south of St. Louis. The accident happened at 2:38 p.m. Wednesday near Festus. Jeffrey Staley, 40, of Caseyville, Ill., was killed when a southbound Dodge Ram pickup driven by Kent Saddler, 64, of Ste. Genevieve, crossed into the work zone and onto the shoulder, striking all three men, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said. Staley was knocked over a guardrail and fell 15 to 20 feet. Staley was an employee of Collins & Hermann Inc., of St. Louis, said Missouri Department of Transportation spokesman Chris Sutton. The men were replacing guardrails at the bridge.


Worker Found Dead At Wallingford Plant


WALLINGFORD, Conn. -- The man, who was in his 60s, was found dead by a co-worker at the Covanta Plant just after 6:30 a.m. The plant turns trash to energy and sells the power to Connecticut Light and Power. According to the company Web site, it generates about 11 megawatts of energy and serves about 200,000 people in the towns of Cheshire, Hamden, Meriden, North Haven, and Wallingford. An autopsy is planned.


Worker dies in Powell industrial accident

Powell, KY - Kentucky State Police are investigating an industrial accident that killed a man Tuesday evening when he was pinned by a front-end loader
. The accident occurred at Natural Bridge Stone on Ky. 11 in Powell County, according to a state police statement. Benny J. Creech was on a front-end loader that was lifted up in the air while he changed a drum on a conveyor belt. The drum shifted, pinning Creech between the loader and the conveyor. The Powell County Coroner pronounced Creech dead at the scene at 7:30 p.m. State police continue to investigate.


Trucks collide, killing driver, injuring another

SC - A garbage truck driver was killed last week when a fast-moving cement truck struck his vehicle from behind while it was stopped in the southbound lane of U.S. 17. Edward Heath Jr., 38, of Ash, died at approximately 7 a.m., May 17, when his Waste Industries truck was hit as he was depositing residential garbage in the truck's hopper about half a mile south of the Highway 904 intersection, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol. The North Carolina Highway Patrol determined that Heath was loading the truck at the front when it was struck in the rear by the oncoming cement mixer driven by Thomas David Hayes, 35, for Southern Equipment Co., of Myrtle Beach, S.C.


Worker killed in Metairie: Scaffolding touches overhead power line

New Orleans, LA -- A construction worker was electrocuted Friday morning in a Metairie back yard when the metal scaffolding he was holding made contact with an overhead power line carrying 8,000 volts of electricity, authorities said.

Ignaceio Quiroz, 25, no address available, lay on the ground, his foot still touching the energized scaffolding, for more than 30 minutes in the back yard of a home in the 4500 block of Carthage Street. Emergency medical personnel waited for Entergy crews to shut down the power line, according to an incident report from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. Quiroz was taken to the Charity Trauma Center in Elmwood, where he was pronounced dead at 8:55 a.m.


Industrial Accident Kills Woman in Auberry

Auberry, CA - There was a deadly accident Wednesday in the Fresno County foothills. A woman was killed when she was buried under ten tons of sand
. It happened at Outback Materials in Auberry. The sheriff's department worked to dig her body out of the sand. It's still unclear how the accident happened. The coroner's office identified the victim as 49-year-old Jeniene Borchardt of Auberry.


Volunteer firefighter dies at scene of accident

Cambria, ny — A Cambria Volunteer Fire Co. firefighter died while working at the scene of a multiple victim motor vehicle accident Sunday.

Gerald A. Machajewski collapsed in the line of duty, Fire Coordinator James C. Volkosh reported. Machajewski was transported to Lockport Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.


Day laborer in River Vale dies in fall

RIVER VALE, NJ -- Police were investigating the accidental death Monday of a day laborer who fell from the second story of a house while he was carrying a door, authorities said. Lt. Michael McCann said the man was working on a new Hoiem Court house. About 8:20 a.m., after carrying the door to the second floor, he either tripped or was overcome by a medical condition and lost his balance -- plunging about 15 feet to the first floor. He died as paramedics were taking him to Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood.


Idaho truck driver dies in Iowa crash

Appleton, WI -- An Idaho truck driver and a Wisconsin couple were killed in a fiery crash that shut down a stretch of Interstate 80 for several hours.

The Iowa State Patrol said Anthony Rizzo, 58, of Meridian, Idaho, and Wesley Frederick, 61, and his wife Jeanette, 61, both of Neenah, Wis., died in the accident on Saturday night on I-80, about 20 miles east of Des Moines.

Officials with the state patrol said Rizzo's semitrailer merged into a lane occupied by Frederick's Corvette. The semi collided with the car, and both vehicles crashed into the guardrail, plunged over an overpass and burst into flames, Trooper Kirk Lundgren said.


Convenience Store Clerk Killed in Overnight Robbery

Culebra, TX - A convenience store clerk is dead, after he was gunned down in an apparent robbery Tuesday night. Police say two men walked into the Road Runner Food Mart, on the 4500 block of Culebra, just before midnight. They allegedly shot the 33-year-old clerk in an attempt to rob the store. A second employee was stocking shelves in a back cooler when the robbery occurred. He told police he heard gunshots, then found his co-worker's body on the floor. Police have not made any arrests in this case, but hope the store's surveillance tape will help them to identify the suspects.


Highways worker killed

Charleston, WV -- A Division of Highways worker was killed Tuesday afternoon in McDowell County, when a co-worker accidentally backed a dump truck over him.

Killed in the accident was Luke Simplicio, 61, of Northfork. State Police say the work crew was cleaning some ditch lines on Route 52 in Landgraff.

A dump truck was backing up. Troopers say the worker walked behind the truck. The driver didn't see him and backed over him. Dowell County, when a co-worker accidentally backed a dump truck over him.


Farmer Drowns After Accident


Clay Township, OH - A well respected farmer in Clay Township is dead after a terrible farming accident, ONN affiliate WNWO reported. 62-year-old Paul Rothert went to drive his cabbage picker Monday night, but the machine was in reverse, and backed right into a pond
. Rothert's son jumped in to save his father and then started CPR, but Rothert couldn't be revived. Clay Township Police Chief, Roger Shultze, was shaken when he arrived on the scene to realize the victim was his good friend. "Paul was a great guy. He would do anything to help a friend. The entire community is going to be very shocked and sadended by his death. This is a tragic day," Shultze said.


Mine worker dies; sixth fatality in 4 days

FRANKFORT, KY - Another fatality has occurred at an Eastern Kentucky mine. Steven T. Bryant, 23, of Louisa, was killed today went the water truck he was driving at a Breathitt County mountaintop coal mine went over an embankment and crashed
, said Nikki Ploskonka, a spokeswoman for the state Environmental and Protection Cabinet. The accident occurred at 10:10 a.m. at Risner Branch No. 2 mine in Rousseau, she said. It is owned by Miller Brothers Coal LLC. Six men have died at a Kentucky coal mine in the last four days. Five miners died Saturday in a Harlan County underground mine. There have been 11 fatalities at Kentucky mines this year. Brett Krause, vice president of Miller Brothers, said federal and state authorities are investigating the accident and the company is "cooperating fully."


Teen dies after fall from roof;

JEDBURG, WV - A Guatemalan teenager who may have been working underage at a construction site has died after falling from a roof.

Josue Daniel Martinez Castillo, 17, was taken off a ventilator Thursday at Trident Medical Center, Berkeley County Coroner Glenn Rhoad said. Castillo had suffered head injuries Wednesday afternoon when he tumbled through a hole in the insulation of a building under construction and fell 25 feet to the concrete below.

Castillo was the second Hispanic construction worker to die in a fall in Berkeley County since April. A 32-year-old man from Columbia died April 25 when he fell two floors onto concrete at a Summerville construction site. He was working here legally, Rhoad said, and his death is still under investigation.

It is illegal to hire anyone younger than 18 to work construction, but Rhoad said a general manager of the contractor told him Castillo had an identification under another name and claimed to be 23. Castillo would have turned 18 on Friday.

The contractor, Frampton & Associates Inc., of Ladson, subcontracted with W&C Construction Inc., also of Ladson, Rhoad said. He was told that Castillo worked for the subcontractor but said he had not reached anyone from W&C Construction.


Sweeper driver dies after head-on with box truck

VANCOUVER, Wash. - On May 23 at approximately 8:15 a.m., troopers responded to an injury head-on collision on SR-502 at Northeast 22nd Avenue. Troopers who arrived at the scene saw the roadway blocked with debris from both of the trucks that were involved in the crash. Fire Department personnel were extinguishing a fire from the cab of a street sweeper truck, which had massive front-end damage. The sweeper truck was sitting sideways blocking the eastbound lane on SR-502. The other truck, a box-style delivery van with massive front-end damage, was lying on its left side in the westbound ditch.


According to a witness, the 1992 Ford F-700 Box Van truck being driven by Daniel A. Tindall, a 41-year-old resident of Kelso, was traveling westbound on SR-502 from Northeast 72nd Avenue and was having trouble keeping straight within the lane.

When the Ford got to Northeast 22nd Avenue, it crossed the center line by about four feet and collided head-on with a 1989 GMC Sweeper being driven by Mark A. Milgrove, a 48-year-old resident of Vancouver, who was traveling eastbound on SR-502.


Man killed in Port Fourchon accident

PORT FOURCHON La.--Authorities have been interviewing witnesses in an attempt to find out why a 26-year-old south Lafourche Parish man was crushed to death by a cement-filled box.

Nicholas Pitre of Cut Off, a forklift operator working at C-Port 2, reportedly walked into the path of a forklift Thursday morning.

When the operator tried to stop suddenly to avoid him, the box slid off the forks and struck Pitre, according to a report from the Greater Lafourche Port Commission.

Pitre was killed instantly, the report states.


Store clerk, 43, found dead; Hussein had wife, two children

Raleigh, NC -- When a customer arrived at the In & Out Mart on Creech Road about 8 a.m. Friday, he saw the white gate that covers the door unlocked and the door open. The man entered the store, didn't see anyone inside and left.

The same man returned about 10 a.m. and heard from bystanders that the clerk was not there. They worried that the store had been left unlocked.

The man went inside and began to search for Samuel Haj-Hussein, the 43-year-old store clerk. He found Hussein in an aisle -- dead from a gunshot wound. His 1992 blue Dodge Caravan was missing.


Driver of semi dies in a fiery I-75 crash

Gainesville, FL -- An unidentified man died Thursday afternoon after his tractor-trailer careened off Interstate 75 and crashed into trees before exploding into flames three miles north of Gainesville, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The driver, who has not yet been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the accident occurred in the northbound lanes of the interstate at about 2:30 p.m., troopers reported.

Troopers said the semi, which was pulling an empty steel grain trailer, weaved back and forth across all lanes before it ran off the west grassy shoulder and crashed into a wooded area in the center median.

As they were driving behind the semi, Tony and Suzanne Hall of Kansas City, Mo., said they thought the driver had suffered a heart attack or fallen asleep after they saw the semi drifting back and forth across the lanes.


Suspect sought in fatal car collision; Driver of van full of farmworkers fled the scene after the crash.

Fresno, CA -- California Highway Patrol officers Wednesday were still looking for the man who ran away after a van he was driving collided with a pickup truck near Selma, killing three in the van and injuring eight other people.

According to the CHP, the van was southbound on Highway 43 when it went out of control, veered across the center line and was struck on the right rear side by a 2000 Ford F-150 pickup. The van was carrying farmworkers from Fresno to a peach orchard east of Laton.

Six of seven passengers were ejected, and three were pronounced dead at the scene.


Migrant worker van crashes, 2 dead

DECATUR, Ind. -- A van carrying migrant workers collided with a truck, killing two passengers and injuring nine, police said.

The van failed to yield at a stop sign Tuesday to the tractor-trailer, police said. Emergency officials pronounced
Wilmer Saenz-Morales, 36, and Inez Gomez, 43, of Fort Wayne, dead at the scene. The nine injured remained hospitalized today, said Indiana State Police Trooper Robert Brophy.

The driver of the van, who was not seriously injured, told police the passengers were migrant workers from Honduras, state police Sgt. Rod Russell said. The van had Ohio license plates.



Water Authority Worker Killed In Truck Crash

BAY SHORE, N.Y. -- A worker for the Suffolk County Water Authority was killed Tuesday when his truck crashed into a garage in Bay Shore, Suffolk County police said.

Keith Zeh,
40, of Bellport, may have had a medical emergency while driving that caused him to lose control of his truck, which is owned by the water authority, police said. The truck sideswiped a tree at 9:15 a.m. on Brentwood Road and then hit a garage, police said.


Miner killed at ICG mine in West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A miner was killed Wednesday in an equipment accident underground at an International Coal Group mine in Harrison County, the state Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training said.

The state was notified about 2:40 p.m. of the accident at the Sycamore II mine near Jarvisville, said administrator Terry Farley. The mine is owned by ICG’s Wolf Run Mining Co.

The victim’s name was not immediately released. The company did not have an immediate comment.


One killed by electrocution

TIFTON Ga. -- Lightning is being blamed for one death and accidental electrocution for another in south Georgia. Jessica Rae Ellis Hosmer, 46, of Tifton was electrocuted early Saturday in Metcal.

Hosmer worked for a Nashville logging company, said Thomas County Coroner Sam Brown. The owner of the company was operating a log-loading boom," Brown said.

Hosmer was apparently standing on the ground when the boom struck a high-power Thomasville Utilities wire. The current traveled from the wire through the boom and trailer to the ground. The current entered Hosmer's body through her feet. Brown said Hosmer's death was probably instantaneous.


Harness official: Driver's death was 'freak accident'

HARRINGTON, NJ — The administrator for the Delaware Harness Racing Commission said today he could not see anything that could have been done differently that would have prevented the death of Hal Belote Monday night at Harrington Raceway. Belote, 51, of Williamstown, N.J., was killed when his horse stumbled and fell during the first race. Two horses were behind him and could not avoid hitting Belote. Paramedics discovered man lying on loading machine's tracks with a chestbruise. Co-workers say they didn't see


Second Fairfax Officer Dies

Chantilly, VA -- The Fairfax police officer who was shot five times in the rampage at the Sully District Station nine days ago has died of his wounds, a spokeswoman at Fairfax Inova Hospital confirmed this morning.


Master Police Officer Michael E. Garbarino,
53, was pronounced dead this morning at 2:45 a.m., hospital spokeswoman Karen Ferguson said.

He was the second person killed by 18-year-old Michael W. Kennedy, the Centreville teenager who stormed the Chantilly station, dressed in full camouflage, and opened fire with several high-powered weapons.

Kennedy also killed
Det. Vicky O. Armel, 40, whose funeral Saturday drew thousands of grieving law enforcement officers from up and down the East Coast.


Employee Charged With Fatally Stabbing CEO

CHICAGO, IL -- An employee who received a bad performance review was charged with fatally stabbing the president of a construction company, authorities said.

Gary Poter, president and CEO of Poter Construction and Development, was stabbed Tuesday with a kitchen knife at his office, police said.

Tom Tuduj, an appraiser and bidder for the company who received a bad review Monday, was charged with first-degree murder, police Cmdr. Dean Andrews said.



Garbage truck driver killed in crash: Cement truck smashed into vehicle

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. -- A Waste Industries trash truck driver was killed instantly early Wednesday when a fully-loaded cement truck plowed into the rear of his vehicle as it was stopped in the right lane of U.S. 17 just south of N.C. 904.

First Sgt. J.O. Holmes of the N.C. State Highway Patrol said there was no indication at the scene that the cement truck tried to slow down before it hit the trash truck at about 7 a.m.

The driver of the garbage truck, 38-year-old
Edward Heath Jr. of Ash Little River Road, was emptying a container into the hopper at the front of his truck when the collision occurred, Holmes said



Tree trimmer dies after power line strikes him

TITTABAWASSEE TOWNSHIP Mich.--A tree trimmer died after a power line in a tree being cut by another trimmer snapped and struck him, police said.

Jacob Harris, 22, of St. Louis, Mich., was clearing trees for Consumers Energy on Wednesday in Saginaw County's Tittabawassee Township when he came into contact with a 4,800-volt line, The Saginaw News reported.

Harris worked for the Davey Tree Expert Co., based in Kent, Ohio. He was pronounced dead at Covenant Medical Center in Saginaw.

"This is a tragedy for the entire Davey Tree Expert Co. family," company spokeswoman Sandra Burns said in released statement. "We have dispatched a team of employees to meet with the family and our local employees."



Captain Feared Dead in S.C. Boat Accident

GEORGETOWN, S.C. -- Five boaters were rescued Thursday from a charter fishing vessel that capsized off the South Carolina coast the night before, and another was plucked from the water, officials said.

But the search continued for the 75-year-old captain, who apparently died while helping one of the survivors.
Robert Clarke had stayed with Mike Robinson, who was later found clinging to a life jacket, after both became separated from the catamaran when a wave washed them off the already overturned hull, said Coast Guard Capt. John Cameron.

Clarke "yelled back to his mate to take care of the five on the boat and that he would stay with Mr. Robinson who was having trouble swimming back to the vessel," Cameron said. At some point in the night, Robinson told officials, Clarke had "some sort of cardiac event," Cameron said.

Beeville officer dies of injuries from S.A. robbery

S
an Antonio, TX
- Gregory Stewart, the Beeville police officer who was shot during a robbery in San Antonio last week, was pronounced dead at 9:29 a.m. Monday, University Health System officials said Monday. He was 32. Stewart was shot at 2:16 a.m. May 7 as he and a friend were walking from a nightclub in the 4800 block of Fredericksburg Road.


Highway worker killed, woman dragged in separate accidents

San Antonio, TX -- Two unrelated accidents occurred in succession Thursday afternoon on the West Side, one killing a 32-year-old construction worker as he was cleaning a highway and the other leaving a 65-year-old Wisconsin woman in critical condition, police said.

The victims' identities have not been released, pending notification of their next of kin.

Around 2:30 p.m., a 26-year-old woman was heading west on U.S. 90 by Callaghan Road when she veered off the road and hit the construction worker, who smashed through her windshield and died, a detective said.


An explosion rocked a Riceland Foods plant in Stuttgart on Tuesday, killing one person.

STUTTGART, Ark.- Two workers were repairing an empty tank used to process soybean oil when the explosion occurred about 8:30 a.m., according to company spokesman Bill Reed. One of the workers was killed, Reed said. His name was not released, pending notification of his family.


Three dead in workplace shooting

HARRISONBURG -- An employee of the American Home Patient medical supplies retail store here fatally shot two fellow workers and then turned the gun on himself around 8 a.m. today, police said. Police Department identified the gunman as Brewer Hoover Jr., 65, of Harrisonburg, and his victims as Gary Gibson, 54, of Harrisonburg, and Bonnie Gump, 54, of Grottoes.


Denver fire lieutenant dies of injuries suffered in blaze

DENVER, CO - A veteran Denver firefighter who suffered a heart attack while fighting a house fire a week ago died Sunday morning.

Lt. Rich Montoya was only 15 shifts from retirement when he was injured May 14, fire department spokesman Lt. Phil Champagne said.He had 30 years with the department.

Montoya was trying to get his crew out of a pitch-black bedroom when he became trapped under a mattress.


2 crop-dusters collide, 1 pilot killed

Little Rock, AR -- Two crop-dusters collided above a field near DeWitt late Thursday morning, killing one pilot and injuring the other, Arkansas County Sheriff Allen Cheek said.

One plane was believed to be spreading fertilizer on a field about two miles south of the DeWitt airport at 11:30 a.m. when the other plane collided with it, sending both tumbling from the sky, Cheek said as he drove from the scene Thursday evening. The two fragmented yellow planes landed about 300 yards apart in different fields.

"It was worse than any automobile crash I'd ever seen," Cheek said. "There were pieces [of planes] scattered everywhere." The sheriff's office did not release the identity of the deceased pilot.


House painter electrocuted in Southeast

SOUTHEAST, NY — The death of a house painter who was electrocuted
when his aluminum ladder touched a power line has authorities reminding residents to take precautions when working near utility lines. Astrit Polozani, 20, of Ridgefield, Conn., was pronounced dead at Danbury (Conn.) Hospital after the accident, which happened around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Brewster state police.


Latest Mine Accident Leaves 5 Dead in Ky.

Harlan County, KY - An explosion in an eastern Kentucky coal mine killed five miners Saturday, Gov. Ernie Fletcher said. A sixth miner was able to walk away from the blast and out of the mine on his own. The blast at the Darby Mine No. 1 in Harlan County occurred between midnight and 1 a.m. EDT while a maintenance shift was on duty, said Amy Louviere, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration. It was the latest in a string of mine accidents to hit U.S. coal country this year. The five dead miners were found by rescue workers, the governor said. The rescue teams initially found three dead workers and later found two more, he said. Fletcher said he had contacted the families of the killed workers. "They want answers - how, why, what caused it - that will help them deal with it a little more," he said. Authorities identified the victims as Amon Brock, 51; Jimmy Lee; Roy Middleton, 35; George William Petra and Paris Thomas Jr. The ages of Lee, Petra and Thomas were not immediately available.


Disney worker dies in collision

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL -- One Disney employee died and another suffered serious injuries when their cars collided on a Walt Disney World road Thursday. The survivor is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, the Florida Highway Patrol said. Phillip Stitzer, 24 of Orlando lost control of his westbound vehicle about 12:30 a.m. on Vista Drive and struck Kuang Wu's westbound vehicle, the FHP said.

Baltimore Officer Dies In Collision With Fellow Cop

Baltimore, MD - An eleven year veteran of the Baltimore police department has died in the line of duty. The incident took place near the intersection of Parksley and Stafford street shortly after 2:20 on May 19, 2006. According to a local Associated Press report, Anthony Byrd, 31, was broad sided
by a fellow officer's car on his return to the Southwestern District police station. The impact knocked his car into a utility pole, leading to death from impact at nearby Saint Agnes hospital minutes later. The report adds that nobody knows yet whether either officer was using emergency lights or a siren.


2 dead in Houston job shooting; suspect on run

Houston, TX - Capital murder charges were filed today in the fatal shooting of two workers at a southeast Houston manufacturing plant. Witnesses say that Miguel Soria, 25, entered Texas Steel Conversion at around 7:30 p.m. Friday night, where he confronted two co-workers before drawing a handgun and firing multiple shots. Mario Rico, 28, and Jorge Rangel, 27, both suffered multiple gunshot wounds and later died at area hospitals.


Snover man killed as a result of work accident

SANILAC COUNTY, MI — According to a press release from the Sanilac County Sheriff's Office, Aaron Brown, 21, of Snover died on Thursday after being transported to McKenzie Memorial Hospital as a result of an accident while working at Tri-County Equipment. According to the release, deputies from the sheriff's office were dispatched to the hospital at approximately 9:45 a.m. on Thursday in regards to Brown's accidental death. The investigation by the Sanilac County Sheriff's Office revealed that Brown was working on maintaining a brush hog after hours at Tri-County Equipment when he was pinned between the brush hog and the creeper he was on.


Farmer dies in tractor accident

AL - A man known by neighbors for giving away home-grown produce died tragically Wednesday, when his tractor overturnedwhile he was working in his garden. According to Coroner Gary Murphree, W. Earnest Griffin, 91, of County Road 1413, was found dead at his home by his daughter Janice Haynes early Monday afternoon.


Road worker dies after being struck by pickup truck

PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 34-year-old road construction worker died after being hit
by a pickup truck in a construction zone on westbound Interstate 94 in Washtenaw County, police said. Steven Wayne Leelean, of Harrison, was cleaning up debris about 11 p.m. Friday when he apparently stepped out of the closed left lane underneath the northbound U.S. 23 overpass and into traffic, said Michigan State Police Sgt. Tony Cuevas.


Bouncer killed trying to break up knife fight

Miami, FL - A popular employee of the Mansion nightclub died of knife wounds when he attempted to stop a fight in the street. A popular South Beach bouncer was stabbed to death just before dawn on Saturday as he tried to break up a knife fight that erupted outside Mansion on Washington Avenue. The bouncer, identified only as John by a club spokeswoman, had been a staple of the South Beach scene for a decade. The fight broke out about 15 minutes after John's 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. shift ended. ''Tragically, he died as a result of his heroic action,'' said Vanessa Menkes of Mansion. "John stopped to help end a fight.'' Two other men involved in the fight were stabbed. One was stabbed in the neck and was listed in critical condition at Ryder Trauma Center, said Bobby Hernandez, a Miami Beach police spokesman. The other was treated for a severed finger at Mount Sinai Medical Center.


Construction Worker Dies in Fall from Bridge Near Angola

Angola, IN-A construction worker fell to his death from a bridge under construction over Interstate 69 near Angola. Fifty-two-year-old James Spears of Roanoke fellWednesday about 25 feet from the bridge onto a lane of the highway that was blocked to traffic. Spears was working on metal I-beams being used to upgrade the overpass at County Road 400N near Pokagon State Park, about 40 miles north of Fort Wayne.


Man killed in industrial plant accident

Lawrenceville, GA -- A 45-year-old Athens man was killed Friday in an industrial accident at a Lawrenceville plant cited last year for workplace violations.

When firefighters arrived at Valentine Enterprises Inc. on Collins Hill Road just after 11 a.m., they found the body of Jerry Hill inside a large industrial mixer, authorities said.

It was not known if Hill worked for Valentine or for a company maintaining the 150,000-square-foot plant’s equipment.