A partial list of workers killed on the job over the past couple of weeks.
'She was a force of nature' Dartmouth family loses daughter to fatal accident
DARTMOUTH, MA — Kevin O'Driscoll took a photo of his daughter, Shannon, in her graduation robe off his living room wall last night, cradling it in both hands. The big, bearded trucker sighed, blinked, then smiled. "She was probably the only graduate there with pink hair," he said. The sun glinted off her flamingo-colored bob and white Dartmouth High School robe in the picture. Ms. O'Driscoll, 24, had just finished holding a sign with a group supporting state ballot Question 3 — which would allow child-care workers to unionize — and was crossing Route 1 on the way to her car.
Before she was killed, she was a national representative for the Service Employees International Union. She was stationed in Chicago over the summer, but returned to Massachusetts three weeks ago for a shoulder operation. "She was campaigning with a busted shoulder, her arm in a sling," Mr. O'Driscoll said. "I was tremendously proud of her." Ms. O'Driscoll was among a group of people holding signs on the sidewalk at the intersection of Route 1 and Interstate 495 at about 5 p.m. Sunday. "Apparently, once they were done, they walked a little ways down on Route 1 northbound and crossed Route 1 southbound," Plainville Police Chief Edward Merrick said. "Their cars were parked at a shopping center nearby." Ms. O'Driscoll was the last to cross, and was struck, the chief said. Police do not plan to charge the driver, a 50-year-old man from Attleboro. The demonstrators were in a dark area, where there are no crosswalks or stoplights, and the driver did not appear to be speeding, Chief Merrick said.
Camden store employee killed during tussle with robber
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) _ A 35-year-old grocery store employee was shot to death after trying to wrestle a gun away from a robber in what police called a "heroic" effort to save his co-worker, city officials said Sunday. Ambioris Antonio Pena-Duran, of Camden, died Saturday night after being shot just after 8 p.m. in Cesar's Grocery Store in south Camden. Officials said Pena-Duran approached the robber from behind after the man pointed a gun at his 42-year-old female co-worker and demanded she open the cash register.
Guard Found Slain at FedEx Facility
Beltsville, MD -- A security guard working at a FedEx Ground distribution cengter in Beltsville was found dead there yesterday, police said. The victim, identified as Reina N. Lynch, 26, was a school bus driver and the mother of two children. She had taken the security job to help make ends meet, her mother said.
Police said a colleague arriving for the day shift at 7 a.m. discovered Lynch lying on the ground with a single gunshot wound in her upper body. She was pronounced dead at the scene, said Cpl. Stephen Pacheco of the Prince George's County police department. Lynch, of Bowie, worked in a guardhouse at the entrance to a fenced compound in the 11900 block of Trolley Lane.
Industrial accident kills Angora man
BRITT, MN — A 41-year-old Angora man died Friday after becoming trapped under a conveyor belt system at the Seppi Bros. Concrete gravel pit on Highway 53 in Britt, a St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department news release said.
The Sheriff’s Department received a report of a man trapped under the collapsed conveyor belt around 8 a.m. and found Seppi Bros. employee Christopher Mark Luecken dead at the scene upon arrival by law enforcement and emergency medical responders. The conveyor belt system was being prepared to be moved and Luecken was standing near it when it collapsed, the release says.
Walgreens truck driver found shot in head
POWELL, KY -- A truck driver found in the parking lot of a Powell drug store early Saturday morning died later at UT Medical Center. David Lindsey, 53, of Knoxville, was found lying in the parking lot of the Walgreens at 7320 Clinton Highway in Powell by another truck driver around 3:00 a.m. He had been shot in the head and leg.
Upper Saucon police officer killed on Route 309
Allentown, PA -- A 32-year-old Upper Saucon Township police officer died this morning after being struck by a northbound vehicle on Route 309, state police said. Investigator David Petzold was trying to take a dead deer off the highway when he was struck by a van driven by Dong S. Oh, 52, of Blue Bell, Montgomery County, at 6:05 a.m. today, officials said during an afternoon press conference.
Petzold was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where he was pronounced dead at 6:54 a.m. Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said Petzold died of multiple blunt force injuries. He ruled the death an accident.
Worker killed at construction site for Dayton career center
DAYTON, OH —— A Brookville father of two was killed Thursday at a construction site when part of concrete crushing machine hit him, police said. The victim was Thomas Morgan, 29, of the 7200 block of Brookville Salem Pike, according to the Montgomery County Coroner's office. He was killed about 9:15 a.m. in the 800 block of West Washington Street, the future site of the Dayton Public School district's David H. Ponitz Career Center.
Morgan was working for Homrich Inc., based in Carleton, Mich., Dayton police Sgt. Richard Blommel said. The accident occurred when Morgan went to check on a crusher that had jammed, Blommel said. The crusher is used to grind concrete into sand. The crusher's operator had shut off the machine and walked away when Morgan went to kick a part of the machine called the tumbler, which rolls the concrete pieces around and shoves them into the area where the grinder is located, Blommel said."When he kicked it lose, it flipped (up and hit him)," Blommel said. "The machine was off, but it was still under pressure." Co-workers at the scene said Morgan was a member of the Operating Engineers Union Local 18.
Electrical worker dies working at Cedar Falls Hy-Vee
Cedar Falls, IA -- An electrical worker has died while working on a new Hy-Vee story in Cedar Falls. Chris Turney, whose age was unavailable, died Wednesday afternoon. His death is being investigated by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. “It appeared the death was not related to anything the person was doing,” said Chris Friesleben, a Hy-Vee spokesman.
One dead in industrial accident at New Bedford wharf
NEW BEDFORD, MA - One person was killed and nine others hospitalized Thursday after being overcome by fumes following an industrial accident on a docked fishing vessel, police said. New Bedford police spokesman Capt. Richard Spirlet said one of the workers died. Police did not identify any of the victims. The workers were using a gasoline-powered pressure washer in a fresh water tank below deck when one passed out, Spirlet told the newspaper. One worker called 911, and returned to find two other workers unconscious.
City litter picker killed on I-40
ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- Albuquerque police are investigating a tragic car accident on Interstate 40 that left one man dead and almost killed another. The men were picking up trash for the city along the Interstate near Eubank NE when a car headed eastbound swerved into them.
The two men were part of Mayor Marty's Clean Team which picks up trash around the city.Around 9 a.m. the men were cleaning the shoulder of I-40 when one of them was hit by the driver of a PT Cruiser who may have been under the influence. The victim died at the scene.
Train hits semi in Tampa area; truck driver killed
Tampa, FL -- An Amtrak train carrying 89 people slammed into a tractor-trailer Wednesday, killing the truck driver and leaving three passengers with minor injuries, authorities said. The Amtrak Silver Star was heading into the Tampa area when it collided with the truck at an industrial rail crossing around 1:45 p.m., Fire Rescue Capt. Bill Wade said. The train stopped safely after the crash and did not derail, Wade said. The semi, which was carrying scrap metal, caught fire and was destroyed. The truck driver, 45-year-old Henry James Montgomery, of Tampa, died at the scene, Wade said.
Construction worker who died in fall is identified
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Authorities have identified the construction worker who died after falling 35 stories while dismantling a crane at a downtown condominium complex. Arne Fliginger, 45, of Wyoming, Minn., died of blunt force injuries, the medical examiner said. His 22-year-old son, an ironworker who was also at the site, witnessed the fall.
Police said Fliginger apparently lost his balance on a platform between the tower and the crane, but it wasn't clear whether there was an equipment malfunction. Fliginger worked for Northwest Tower Cranes and was working at the site of The Carlyle condominiums. It was the second time a worker has fallen to his death while working on the project. A 36-year-old Plymouth man died after falling at least four floors at the site in September 2005.
Man killed by collapse of earth wall
Indianapolis, IN -- A Fishers man who stepped outside a safety box while installing a sewer line in a deep trench was fatally injured when an earth wall collapsed, Johnson County sheriffs' investigators said. Daniel L. Coffing, 52, was trapped by dirt and mud that reached the middle of his chest, said Maj. Steve Byerly. The accident occurred about 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday at a construction site east of I-65, south of Whiteland Road behind the Flying J truck stop.
"They were installing a 6-inch plastic sewer line for a new building there," Byerly said. Coworkers rescued Coffing from the dirt and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Byerly said. Indiana Occupational Safety Health Division inspectors told investigators the trench was about 12 feet deep.
Framer dies after site accident
San Louis Obispo, CA -- A Santa Maria man died Sunday after being hospitalized with a back injury from a construction accident in San Luis Obispo last month. Alejandro Becerra, 53, a framer for Luker Framing and General Construction died of natural causes, according to a San Luis Obispo County sheriff's-coroner report. Workers from the Santa Maria-based company were erecting a commercial building in the 3500 block of Broad Street Oct. 26 when the construction accident occurred and injured four people.
“He did not die because of the accident,” said Sheriff's Sgt. Brian Hascall. Becerra apparently died of previous diabetes and heart conditions, Hascall said, quoting a medical report signed by the coroner. Becerra was taken to French Hospital Medical Center with a broken back and was later transferred to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center where he died shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday, said hospital spokesman Ron Yukelson. More than a week earlier, 12 workers from Luker Framing were erecting an 8-foot tall wall frame that, for unknown reasons, lost balance and tipped over on four workers, according to a San Luis Obispo fire official. Three of the four workers, whose names were not released, suffered mostly cuts and scrapes. Becerra was the only one to be hospitalized.
Employee Dies in Workplace Accident
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) - Investigators say a Georgetown chemical plant worker who entered a large dryer to help a passed out colleague lacked oxygen and died. Officials say 27-year-old Ronald J. Altman was killed Saturday and two other workers were injured at 3-V Incorporated. The company makes chemicals used in plastic, textile and paper industries.
Randy McClure of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board says the 3-V incident is similar to an accident where two workers died at a Delaware refinery last year. Federal safety authorities say 3-V was fined $1,000 in 2002 for worker health and safety violations.
Accident kills postal worker
SPRINGFIELD, MO - A 58-year-old U.S. Postal Service employee died last night after the driver of a tractor-trailer backed into him at a loading dock of a mail distribution facility on Brookdale Drive, police said.
The accident was one of two serious accidents involving a pedestrian occurring within a few minutes in different parts of the city, said police Capt. Robert T. McFarlin.
Man Killed Pouring Concrete in Chandler
Chandler, In -- A construction worker is killed in Chandler, Indiana. The man killed was part of the crew pouring concrete for the new highway being built in Chandler. Police say he was standing behind a dump truck that was backing up, and the driver didn't see him. The worker died at the scene.
Chesapeake store clerk killed during morning robbery
CHESAPEAKE, VA - A 49-year-old Texaco Food Mart cashier was shot to death Wednesday morning during a robbery, leaving an Indian River community mourning the loss of an "extremely wonderful man." Ozkan Karasu of the 400 block of Seahorse Run, in the Mariners Quay community of Chesapeake, was shot during the robbery about 9 a.m. and discovered in the station by a customer.
Mine worker electrocuted
KAYENTA, AZ — Employees of Peabody Western Coal Co. are mourning the loss of a fellow worker at the Kayenta Mine. Peabody spokesperson Beth Sutton said the company is not releasing the name of the veteran 25-year employee of the Black Mesa Complex "out of respect for the family as they notify next of kin."
The 52-year-old electrician died around 9 p.m. Sunday after receiving an electrical shock while working to restore power to a dragline, Sutton said.
Worker pinned on loading dock dies
WAYNE, NJ -- A warehouse worker was killed Tuesday after a tractor-trailer pinned him against a loading dock, police said. The victim, Harry Gonzalez, 34, of Brooklyn, was guiding the driver of the truck as he backed into the World of Beauty warehouse at 130 Ryerson Ave. just after noon, Sgt. Steve Giardino said.
As the truck rolled backward, "the driver felt a soft tap on the wall instead of a hard tap," Giardino said.Witnesses told police they saw the driver, Krzysztof Zakoscielny, 40, of Lindenhurst, N.Y., jump from his cab and run behind the truck. There he found Gonzalez lying on the ground and tried to help him, Giardino said.
Construction worker killed
Phoenix, AZ -- Daniel J. Gonzales, 40 of Phoenix, died Oct. 30 when the back hoe he was operating turned over, trapping him beneath it. Gonzales was trenching land at Northern Avenue and Skousen Road. He was placing pea gravel into a trench, and as he was backing away from the trench the back hoe overturned into a retention pond, pinning the operator. Other employees used a second back hoe to free Gonzales. He died at the scene.
Pipe Fitting Blamed in Tyson Fatality
WICHITA, Kan. — A pipe fitting that split suddenly while workers were trying to drain anhydrous ammonia from refrigeration equipment was responsible for the Oct. 31 death of a worker at the Tyson Foods plant in South Hutchinson, the lead federal investigator said Wednesday.
At the time of the accident, two maintenance workers were installing a temporary vacuum hose on a drain pipe to remove the ammonia from the unit so they could replace a leaking cooling coil, said John Vorderbrueggen, lead investigator for the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, the federal agency that investigates chemical accidents. The rupture sprayed anhydrous ammonia on the face of Mike Wiebe, 51. He died after he breathed in the ammonia, Vorderbrueggen said. Bill Mumford, 55, is recovering at home from chemical burns to his left arm and torso.
Illinois man killed in workplace accident
Clinton, IA -- An Illinois man has died from injuries he received in an accident at Archer Daniels Midland plant in Clinton, Iowa. John Hager, of Erie, Ill., died Friday at University Hospitals in Iowa City, officials said. Hager got a flash burn from an electrical arc last Wednesday as he was repairing an electrical system at the company's plant in Clinton, fire officials said.
Teen crushed to death in heavy-equipment accident
Medford, OR -- A teenager working in the Big R Distribution Center died Monday after he was crushed by a forklift-like piece of heavy equipment inside the White City building, authorities said. Shane Watson, 18, was pinned between a Hyster material hauler and some shelving about 9:21 a.m. at the center, 7303 Highway 62, according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.
A fellow employee was driving the forklift in an aisle, where he apparently lost control of it, said Battalion Chief Rod Edwards at the Jackson County Fire District No. 3. The forklift swerved and the rear struck Watson in the aisle, Edwards said.
Tarrant man dies in industrial accident
Birmingham, AL -- A Tarrant man died Sunday after he was injured in a weekend industrial accident. Antonio Bartola, 41, fell 20 feet from a crane Saturday at WT Machinery at 3801 Industrial Drive. Bartola was taken to UAB Hospital where he died at 11:20 a.m. Sunday.
Officials identify trucker who died in port accident
Los Angeles, CA -- A truck driver who died in an industrial accident at the Port of Los Angeles on Thursday has been identified as Ramon Leos-Placencia, 49, of Porterville. Leos-Placencia died when the chassis of a tractor trailer crushed him as he prepared to load a container at the APM Terminal facility, the Port of Los Angeles said. Leos-Placencia's 16-year-old son was behind the wheel of the truck at the time. They were hooking the tractor portion of the trailer to the chassis.
Policeman’s death is a warning for other officers to be cautious
Tupelo, MS - The recent tragic death of University of Mississippi Police Officer Robert Langley has reinforced what law enforcers already knew – there is no such thing as a routine traffic stop.“Officer Langley’s death really hit home for our guys,” said Mississippi State University Police Chief Georgia Lindley. “We train our guys to be aware that anything can happen on a traffic stop, but after this tragic event, it really hit home. We realize that the most routine stop can turn into a life-or-death situation. We have to treat every stop with caution.” Langley was killed when he was dragged for nearly 200 yards during a routine traffic stop at Ole Miss on Oct. 21. Ole Miss freshman Daniel Cummings, 20, is being charged with capital murder in connection with Langley’s death.
WW man dies in 'freak accident'
WARWICK, RI - West Warwick resident Philip E. Joubert died in what police called a "freak accident" at the Balise Motor Group on Post Road Saturday. "We're a little bit behind the 8-ball as far as finding out the exact situation," said Capt. Robert Nelson of the Warwick Police Department. Joubert, an employee of the Warwick business, had been operating a 1998 Chevrolet pick-up truck used strictly for maintenance, police said. Joubert, 55, was moving the vehicle into a parking space when he exited the vehicle, apparently leaving its transmission in reverse. "He must have jumped out of the car quickly in order to continue doing what he was doing," Nelson said. "He must have gone behind the vehicle without realizing what he had done." The vehicle rolled backwards, striking and pinning Joubert, police said. He died shortly afterward at Rhode Island Hospital.
Gunman fatally shoots supermarket worker
Jersey City, NJ - - A gunman fatally shot a worker inside a grocery store in Jersey City, N.J.Police say the gunman walked into the G & P Deli & Grocery at 55 Webster Avenue and opened fire. A worker was struck and killed. Eyewitness News has learned the suspect, a man dressed in blue, fled the scene. No arrests were immediately made.
Shot passes through clerk, kills co-worker
LEESBURG, FL -- Police are searching for an armed robber who fired a bullet that passed through a store clerk's shoulder and then killed another. Investigators said two men in masks burst into a store at Tyler's Market located on Griffin Road in Leesburg late Sunday. During an exchange between workers in the store and the culprits, a shot was fired, police said. The bullet went through the store owner's shoulder and struck and killed the clerk standing behind him. Police said the crime happened in a location that usually does not have a lot of violent crime.
Clerk killed in robbery was known for kindness
East Frankford, PA - Julio Brito's E. Frankford customers said he was so generous they couldn't believe he'd be killed for not handing over cash. Two men were apprehended. A clerk in a small East Frankford grocery store who was known to give free milk to mothers or let customers slide when they came up short was gunned down during a robbery yesterday morning when he refused to give up cash from the register, police said. "Every time someone didn't have money for food or milk, he would just give it to you. And he never asked for anything back," said Lisa Diaz, 23, who lives behind Aurelia's Food Market at Torresdale Avenue and Orthodox Street and had been in the store a half-hour before the robbery. The victim, Julio Brito, 51, of the 2000 block of Orthodox Street, was taken to Frankford Hospital-Torresdale Campus, where he was pronounced dead shortly after the shooting, officials said.
Rt. 30 crash kills 1
Harrisburg, PA - A trash truck slammed into the back of a rig. It was the second fatal wreck at Roosevelt Ave. this year. A 30-year-old Harrisburg man died early Monday when the garbage truck he was driving crashed into the back of a tractor trailer at Route 30 and Roosevelt Avenue in York. Tony Rucker was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:30 a.m., according to the York County Coroner's office. He died as a result of multiple blunt force trauma, the York County coroner's office reported. West Manchester Township Police are investigating the crash. Rucker, a York Waste Disposal employee, was on his regular pickup route when the crash happened. He had been with the company since 2003, said company general manager Mark Pergolese.
Wentzville Officer Dies In Off-Duty Motorcycle Wreck
WENTZVILLE, Mo. (AP) -- Police in Wentzville are mourning the death of a colleague. Sam Vitale, 26, died in a motorcycle accident Monday afternoon near the town of Dutzow . He apparently lost control on a curve and his motorcycle crossed the center line, where it collided with a pickup truck. He was not on duty at the time. Officers hung black bunting outside the department doors and gathered last night to mourn together. Vitale was a three-year veteran of the department. The driver of the pickup truck suffered minor injuries.
Two Killed In Plant Explosion
Little Rock, AR - Employees at Arkansas Aluminum Alloys are coping with the loss of two of their own. At around 3:30 Tuesday morning there was an explosion near the rear of the production department. Mike Shaw is the safety director at Arkansas Aluminum Alloys. “It's a very close knit company. You know we are a relatively small company and like to consider ourselves a big family. So you know, there's a lot thoughts and players with families," explains Shaw. Ethon Boyer, 19, and John Cobb, 43, were killed. The men were working together melting aluminum. We're told no chemicals were released.
19-year-old worker killed on Ga. 400
ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Alpharetta police say a 19-year-old man who was part of a construction crew doing road repair work on Georgia 400 was killed when his pickup truck struck a concrete placer machine. Police say Kevin Paul Clayton of Buchanan was driving the Ford truck on a lane closed off for repairs on the interstate about 6:15 p-m yesterday (near Old Milton Parkway) when he struck the 60-thousand-pound machine. Police Officer Justin Wilson says Clayton was killed instantly. NO one else was injured in the wreck. Wilson says the man was part of a crew working with Archer-Western Construction -- the company doing work on that stretch of the road.
Worker dies while trimming palm tree
SPRING VALLEY, CA – A tree trimmer died yesterday, apparently suffocated by heavy fronds while suspended near the top of an 80-foot fan palm. The man was identified by the Medical Examiner's Office as Rury Valdez, 45, of San Diego, a tree trimmer with at least 15 years of experience. Valdez, some cousins and an uncle worked on three tall, slender palms at a house on Central Avenue near Lamar Street yesterday in Spring Valley. Atop the last tree, Valdez started cutting the fronds, which drooped and covered him completely, said San Miguel Division Chief Patrick Sumrow.
Worker killed when ramp falls on him
ARLINGTON, TX — A 51-year-old Dallas man died Tuesday after a large metal loading dock ramp fell and struck him in the chest at an east Arlington industrial park, authorities and family members said. Calvin L. Harp, who worked for Anderson Paving, was injured in the 600 block of 110th Street. He was pronounced dead at 7:50 a.m., according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office. The death was ruled accidental, the office said. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate the incident, Arlington fire officials said. Anderson Paving could not be reached for comment. Harp is survived by his wife, Betty, and six daughters, ages 12 to 30. The Harps also have a 12-year-old adopted daughter and a 14-year-old adopted son, Betty Harp said.
Fifth firefighter dies, ‘persons of interest' questioned in Esperanza Fire south of Banning and Cabazon
Los Angeles, CA - The arson-caused Esperanza Fire south of Banning and Cabazon has claimed a fifth life. Four members of the U.S. Forest Service Engine 57 crew were killed last Thursday when a ball of flames engulfed their engine. The fifth member of the crew, 23-year-old Pablo Cereda, survived the flames, but suffered burns on 95 percent of his body, leaving him in critical condition and on life support at the Arrowhead Medical Center in Colton.He died there just after 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The fire itself, which had burned more than 40,000 acres, was declared 100 percent contained at 6 p.m. on Monday.
Robotic arm pulls worker to his death Manager at Pontiac plant was crushed in a press in rare accident with automated machinery.
PONTIAC, MI -- A 46-year-old Grand Blanc man was crushed to death early Tuesday when he was pulled into machinery by a robotic arm at an industrial plant. The death of Steven McGirr, an employee at HydroDynamic Technologies, 30 West Silverdome Industrial Drive, remains under investigation by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. MIOSHA reviews all occupational deaths in Michigan to determine whether a company is in compliance with MIOSHA rules and regulations covering worker and workplace safety.
Man Killed in Industrial Accident
South Hutchinson, KS - A 51-year-old man died from an ammonia leak at the Tyson Foods plant in South Hutchinson today. Police say a 55-year-old man was injured in the leak. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of chemical burns. Authorities say the two men were doing routine maintenance on an ammonia line when the accident occurred.
Construction worker killed in Flatiron district fall
New York, NY - A hard-working Ecuadorian immigrant fell 18 stories to his death Wednesday in a scaffolding accident on Fifth Avenue, police and city officials said. Klever Ramiro Jara, 25, of Brooklyn, was walking along a ledge connecting two scaffolds that were 25 feet apart when he apparently slipped and plunged to his death, a city official said. He was wearing a safety harness but it was disconnected from the building, 114 Fifth Ave. between 17th and 18th streets, the official said. He landed on street scaffolding.
Knox Co. Officer Killed on Halloween Patrol
Nashville, TN - A school security officer lost his life on the job Tuesday night while patrolling a high school. Authorities said Russel Kocur was keeping an eye on a high school in northern Knox County to make sure no one vandalized the building on Halloween night. He told dispatchers he was going to check on a vehicle with a Virginia license plate. Officers said a homeless man from Virginia then shot Kocur in the back, stole his police car and lead officers on a chase. Kocur died on the way to the hospital.
Perkasie Man Killed In Construction Accident
Perkasie, NY - A 62-year-old Perkasie man was crushed to death Monday by a piece of heavy equipment at a Chester County construction site, police said. Larry Gosnell, of 1016 N. Ridge Road, a mechanic for the H&K Group of Pottstown, was working in South Coventry Township when he was killed, according to investigators, who are classifying the death as accidental.
Window Washer In UPMC Fall Identified
McKEESPORT, Pa. -- Allegheny County police are at UPMC McKeesport hospital, where a window washer died after apparently falling off the building's roof. Authorities said Dave Schmitt, 54, hadn't started the job yet, and there was no scaffolding involved. Authorities said Schmitt landed steps away from the hospital's emergency room. Staff quickly ran out to admit first aid, but it was too late. Schmitt was not a hospital employee, police said.
Worker dies in rig accident
DOUGLAS, WY -- A Buffalo man died this week in an oil rig accident near the Converse-Natrona county line. Jerrid Thomas Gardner, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene from head trauma, Converse County Coroner Ross Gorman said. Gardner became entangled in a moving piece of equipment at about 9 a.m. Tuesday in the oil patch between Interstate 25 and the old Glenrock highway, Sgt. Steve Nunez of the Converse County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday. Ambulances were dispatched from Glenrock and Evansville, and an air ambulance was also called out. Gardner was employed by Hawkeye Well Service, said Johnnie Hall, compliance supervisor for the state Workers’ Safety and Compliance Division. Gardner was working on a workover rig-pulling unit. Workover rigs are used when an existing well has a problem. Crews pull rods and repair down-hole problems after a well has been drilled. An Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigator was taking statements and assessing the scene Wednesday. Hall said it could be several weeks to several months before his office is able to release a final report on the accident.
School worker shot; killer at large
PASSAIC, NJ – Police were looking for the killer of a Board of Education maintenance man who was found shot in his car early Wednesday. Jose Medina, 35, of Passaic, was wounded in the head at 4:49 a.m. while he was behind the wheel of his vehicle at Passaic and Sixth streets, said Keith Furlong, who was acting as police spokesman. Police did not release details of the homicide, although Furlong said Medina was involved in an altercation prior to the shooting. Medina was taken to PBI Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Furlong said.
Volunteer Firefighter Killed in Jefferson County
Kent, IN - A volunteer firefighter has died and a second was badly hurt in a house fire that started at a horse farm in Jefferson County in Kent, Indiana, two miles northwest of Hanover off State Road 256. It happened around 4:00 a.m. Officials told 24-Hour News 8 three volunteer firefighters were first to arrive on the scene. All three went into the house to fight the fire. Two came back out, looked around and realized their third partner had not escaped. They found him on the second floor. The fire department says the flames became too strong and 33-year-old Greg Cloud couldn't escape.
Man killed in accident at workplace
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Nashville police said a man died from internal injuries yesterday after he slipped at work and a heavy object fell on him. The 21-year-old man was not immediately identified. He was working at Southern Medical Disposal when the accident happened. He was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The accident was reported to the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Construction worker killed in fall
South Union, PA - A construction worker fell to his death Wednesday while cutting steel beams on a job in South Union, Washington County. Harold Lee Hunter, 53, of Aliquippa, died of multiple blunt force trauma in the accident at 9:40 a.m., Washington County Coroner S. Timothy Warco said. Mr. Hunter was working on a demolition site on Electric Way in South Union. He was in a construction cage hoisted about 35 feet up as he worked to cut the steel beams. A cut beam gave way and struck Mr. Hunter's cage, knocking him out of it and to the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:48 a.m.
Harvest turns tragic for farmer killed in corn baler
TOWN OF LAMARTINE — A tragic accident that took the life of a town of Lamartine man Wednesday night is a reminder of how dangerous farm equipment can be, says Fond du Lac County Sheriff Gary Pucker. Pucker was called to the Michael L. Haney home at W8561 County Trunk T on Wednesday night because he is a friend of Haney's. Pucker lives about a half-mile from Haney. "He's been a good friend of mine for years," he said. Haney, 36, and known as "Boss Hog" to his friends, was killed when he was pulled into a corn baler while trying to remove jammed corn stalks, according to Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Department reports. Officials believe the large steel rollers of the baler jammed. Haney got off the tractor and, without turning off the baler, grabbed the stalks in an attempt to remove them, Pucker said. The baler is the type that produces large round corn bales.
Worker Killed at Port of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA - A man died after being crushed by a trailer chassis at the Port of Los Angeles, authorities said Friday. The industrial accident occurred at 10:35 Thursday night in the 2500 block of Navy Way on Terminal. Island, according to Los Angeles Port Police Sgt. Kevin McCloskey. Two men had been hooking the tractor portion of a tractor trailer to a trailer chassis used to haul cargo containers. While they were adjusting the unloaded chassis to connect it to the tractor, it shifted and crushed one of the men, McCloskey said. The victim, whose name was withheld until his family could be notified, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pizza Delivery Worker Found Dead In West Chicago
WEST CHICAGO, Ill. -- Employer Reported Karen Hassan Missing Thursday Night. A pizza delivery woman was found dead overnight in a storage lot in West Chicago, and police are trying to find out what happened. The body of Karen T. Hassan, 41, of St. Charles, was found in a fenced off lot in an industrial area near North Avenue and Powis Road in unincorporated West Chicago, near the DuPage Airport, according to the DuPage County sheriff’s office. Hassan’s body was found around 11:45 p.m. on Thursday by a sheriff’s deputy investigating a missing person report, the sheriff’s office said. Her employer had reported her missing after she did not come back to work when she made a pizza delivery near where her body was found.
Cab driver killed in cab in Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls, OK -It was a day's work that ended with a Wichita Falls cabbie dead and police searching for a suspect. David McDowell, 52, of Wichita Falls was found in his All-America taxi cab in a neighborhood on the city's eastside. A fellow cab driver discovered McDowell's body around 5:40 Friday morning. He went looking for McDowell after he couldn't reach him on the radio. The founder and vice-president of the cab company, Jesus Ramirez, said he spoke to McDowell not long before the killing, and just hours before he was scheduled to get off work. "He called back and said he loaded a passenger going to High Point Village," said Ramirez. "Then, he called again, saying the passenger wanted him to take him back to Humphreys Street." Police say it appears McDowell died from a head injury, but they don't know what the weapon was that caused it.
Andersons employee killed in silo accident, Victim was trapped by grain at complex; 3 co-workers escape
Maumee, OH - A Maumee man employed at The Andersons grain storage complex died yesterday in an accident outside one of the storage tanks off Illinois Avenue between Conant and Ford streets, authorities said. Rodney Dinkens, 38, who is a third cousin of Maumee Mayor Tim Wagener, was one of four employees working to remove wheat grain from a tank when he suddenly became buried shortly before 1 p.m.
Friends, customers mourn slain party store owner, Suspects, expected to be arraigned today, were regular patrons at the store
ROCHESTER HILLS, MI -- Bouquets of flowers lay Friday at the base of a small party store's padlocked door, a memorial to a Washington Township man whose life ended violently the afternoon before. Cedomir Taseski, 73, was beaten and stabbed to death in his Auburn Road store, Bozana's Liquor Beer & Wine, which is about six blocks west of the Shelby Township border. Neighbors and employees of a nearby business helped police catch two suspects from Rochester Hills who are expected to be arraigned today. Police say one of the suspects went in the store about 1:30 p.m. and took a 20-ounce bottle of beer to the counter as if he was going to buy it. He struck Taseski's forehead with the bottle and beat him. Taseski had multiple puncture wounds on his neck and chest.
Trucker crushed to death at Busch brewery
JAMES CITY, VA -- A Gloucester man was accidentally crushed Thursday night while loading his tractor-trailer at the Anheuser-Busch brewery just south of Williamsburg, police said. The body of 54-year-old William Lee Yarosz was found by co-workers around 10 p.m. inside the trailer of his truck at the loading dock, James City County Police spokesman Mike Spearman said.
Department store employee slain at Lakeforest mall, Police say assailant was her co-worker
Gaithersburg, MD - A J.C. Penney employee at Lakeforest mall in Gaithersburg was fatally wounded Thursday afternoon when she was repeatedly stabbed by a co-worker, county police say. The 35-year-old woman was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at an area hospital. Her identity was unavailable.
Two gas station employees shot to death in Carson
CARSON, Calif. - A man who was working his last shift and a woman who was just starting her job were shot to death Saturday at the gas station where they were employed, authorities said. The owner of the Hasty Mobil station on Avalon Blvd. discovered the bodies on the floor when he arrived for work at 5 a.m., according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Dana Camarillo. Eduardo Roco, 74, of Carson, and Esther Arteaga, 32, of Wilmington, were declared dead at the scene. Detectives believe the shootings occurred between 4 a.m and 4:20 a.m., based on cash register receipts, according a sheriff's report.
Con Edison Worker Killed After Being Pinned By Car
New York, NY - A Con Edison worker was killed on the job in the Bronx after a driver swerved her car to avoid hitting a bicyclist just before 5 p.m. Saturday. Police say a 62-year-old woman was driving south on Boston Road when she swerved at the intersection of Boston Road and 169th Street in Morissania. She hit Yuen Mun, a Con Ed employee who was working on an underground feeder job. Witnesses say the 40-year-old was hit by the car and pinned against a nearby restaurant. He died at the hospital. Police say there is no criminality suspected.
Man dies in industrial accident
Georgetown, SC - One person is dead and two others were hospitalized after an incident at 3V Chemical Co. Saturday afternoon.Emergency crews were rushed to the Pennyroyal Road plant at about 4:30 p.m. and transported three workers to the Georgetown Memorial Hospital. Ronald Jason Atman, 27, of 401 N. Magnolia St. in Andrews was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital by County Coroner Kenny Johnson. What caused the injuries to the three workers – and the death of Altman – is under investigation by 3V officials, as well as the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office and the Coroner’s office. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will also join in the investigation.
Employee Killed, Breaking Up A Fight In Hospital
Catonsville, MD -- State police have identified the state hospital worker who died Saturday after helping subdue a belligerent patient. Police say 39-year-old Lee McDuffy died at Saint Agnes Hospital, several hours after he helped break up a fight between two male patients. One of the patients, a 40-year-old man, continued to fight hospital workers as they tried to sedate him. After the incident, McDuffy told staff he did not feel well. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he died.
Tree Service Worker Killed In Fall
DOUGLASSVILLE, Pa. - A tree-service employee fell 15 feet from a bucket truck and died of head injuries, officials said.
Justin D. Kelly, 23, of Douglass Township, was working at a home along Old Swede Road in Amity Township on Thursday when he leaned over the side of the bucket and fell, Berks County Deputy Coroner Terri L. Straka said. Kelly was working for the Dallas Mathias Jr. Tree Service, of Oley Township.
Kentucky Miner Dies in Accident
ELKHORN CITY, Ky. -- A Kentucky coal miner died on the job Saturday. Tony Swieney, 44, an underground mine section foreman, was struck on the head by a large electrical plug.
Montana Officer Killed in Wreck
Yellowstone, MT -- The Officer Down Memorial Page has reported that Yellowstone County, Mont. Deputy David Briese was killed in a wreck Nov. 3.
Briese was responding to backup an officer who was dealing with a combative drunk driver, according to ODMP.
When the deputy attempted to pass another vehicle, his cruiser left the road, overturned, and plowed into a sign.
Man dies in workplace accident
Nashville, TN -- A 21-year-old employee of Southern Medical Disposal died Thursday after a workplace accident, Metro police said. The man was working at the medical waste disposal facility at 1941 Cement Plant Road when he apparently slipped and fell, grabbing a heavy object on the way down, Capt. David Imhof said.
The object fell on him, and he suffered internal injuries, Imhof said. He was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Police reported the incident to the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration late Thursday
Worker Dies In Fall From Warehouse
MIAMI, FL -- A construction worker died Thursday night after an accident while on the job. The man was tearing down an old refrigeration unit inside the Tropical Pallets warehouse, 1691 N.W. 23rd St., when a portion of the floor collapsed from under him and he fell about 15 to 20 feet to the ground. The man, whose name has not been released, was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center.
Truck driver killed in dock accident
Colorado Springs, CO -- A truck driver was killed Wednesday morning when his truck rolled over him near a loading dock in eastern Colorado Springs.
The truck was at Taylor Farms Distribution, 890 N. Newport Road, according to a Colorado Springs police report. The driver, 64-year-old Jimmie Lee Spencer of Rocky Ford, slipped and fell as he tried to get in the cab when the truck started to roll. Spencer died of head injuries, the police report said. Spencer was a driver for Pueblo-based Glennco Produce Distributing.
Cops: Trucker went too fast
Cincinnati, OH -- The semi-tractor trailer driver killed Tuesday when he lost control of his rig on the northbound Interstate 471 exit ramp to Fort Washington Way was driving too fast for the rainy weather conditions, a preliminary investigation indicates. “This is probably definitely speed-related and going too fast for the conditions,” Police Spec. Jerry Enneking said. “You’ve got plenty of signs for the road showing the curve.” Enneking, with the police department’s Traffic Unit, said it was raining when the crash occurred about 2:35 a.m. The truck driver, Charles D. Osborne, 53, of Bagdad, Ky., was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
ACCIDENT KILLS LEXINGTON MAN
Lexington, KY -- A Lexington man was killed this week in a single-vehicle accident in Ashland, Kentucky State Police said. Randall Kevin Stemmer, 51, of Lexington was traveling westbound Wednesday on Interstate 64 when he veered off the road and struck an embankment that caused the 2006 Mack UPS truck he was driving to overturn. Stemmer was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a seat belt, and alcohol is not thought to be a factor, police said.
Truck driver dies after colliding with freight train
MASARDIS, Maine -- A truck driver died Wednesday after failing to stop at a railroad crossing and colliding with a passing freight train, state police said. John Hughes, 69, of Biddeford, was driving a tractor-trailer flatbed truck carrying lumber south on Route 11, said Sgt. Tom Pelletier with the Maine State Police.
Hughes swerved into the northbound lane to avoid two vehicles that had stopped at the railroad crossing, and struck the train broadside about 11:30 a.m., Pelletier said. The warning lights and gate at the crossing were working, he said. Hughes died at the scene.
Tacoma: Worker falls into machine, dies at Birds Eye Foods in Nalley Valley
Tacoma, WA -- A man was killed Monday night in a workplace accident in the Nalley Valley, Tacoma police reported. Kenneth Williams, 51, fell into a large machine at Birds Eye Foods, 3303 S. 35th St., just before 11 p.m. and died, police spokesman Mark Fulghum said. An autopsy is scheduled today to determine the cause of his death. The state Department of Labor and Industries was investigating. Investigators will try to find out what Williams was doing before he fell into the machine.
Fatal accident; Power line worker falls to his death at Duke City utility conference
Albuquerque, NM -- A demonstration on power line repair went horribly wrong Tuesday during an international utility conference in Albuquerque, killing one man and critically injuring another when a 60-foot temporary tower fell. Canadian David Desjarlais was killed and Texas resident Mike Merchant's condition was critical as of late Tuesday.
Both were part of a crew near the top of the tower, which was being erected. A wire supporting it apparently snapped, causing the tower to topple in front of hundreds of spectators. The tower "was leaning at about 20 degrees, and then it was, oh ..., one of those words you can't say," said eyewitness Keith Lindsey, president of Lindsey Manufacturing of Azusa, Calif. He said he saw the incident from his exhibit stand about 200 feet from the accident.
STATE INVESTIGATES DEATH OF ELECTRICIAN HURT ON JOB
Baltimore, MD -- Officials from the Maryland Office of Safety and Health were investigating yesterday the death of an electrician who was killed while working at a downtown office building. Michael Hembree, 35, of Clinton was installing a light switch Wednesday shortly after 10 p.m. in an office building at 7 St. Paul St. when something went wrong, according to Matt Selmer, his business partner.
A person working with him "heard the sound of an electrical pop," according Officer Nicole Monroe, a Baltimore police spokeswoman. Believing that Hembree had received an electrical shock, the man, called for help, Monroe said. Hembree was taken to Mercy Medical Center, where he was declared dead at 10:50 p.m., police said.
Landscaper Is Slain in SE; Man Charged
Washington DC -- A landscaper who lived in Mount Pleasant was shot and killed yesterday morning as he mowed grass at an apartment complex in Southeast Washington, police and residents said.
Jose Villatoro, 35, was shot several times in the head and body about 11 a.m. in the 2600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, in Anacostia's Parkchester housing cooperative. He died at the scene.
SENSELESS SLAYING; CLERK BEATEN TO DEATH; PAROLEE HELD
CHATSWORTH, CA -- A convenience-store clerk was fatally bludgeoned with a baseball bat early Friday by a parolee who had served time in prison for nearly killing another clerk more than a dozen years ago, authorities said. Rohan Rameukwella, 41, was found dead on the floor of the Arco AM/PM minimart at Devonshire Street and Mason Avenue after the suspect in his killing, Frank Erik Kaatz, 32, led Los Angeles police officers to his body, authorities said.
"It's very unfortunate that the victim had to be in the path of this suspect," said Officer Jason Lee, Los Angeles Police Department spokesman. A native of Sri Lanka, Rameukwella had worked the night shift at the AM/PM for about five years. Police said they believe he was targeted at random.
Truck’s owner denies brakes were not safe
Oklahoma City, OK -- The owner of the company whose truck was involved in a fatal collision with an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper said he fixed the brakes on the tractor-trailer less than a month before the Oct. 1 crash. “I inspected that truck myself,” said Harpreet Sidhu, owner of Arsh Transport in Bakersfield, Calif.
Highway patrol investigators last week said there was a defect in the truck’s brakes in an Oct. 1 crash that killed driver Hussein Haji-ege Osman and trooper William (Bill) McClendon, who was attempting to make a U-turn ahead of the truck on the Will Rogers Turnpike. Sidhu disputed the patrol’s claim and defended the safety of his truck.
Mail-truck driver killed in crash west of Lovelock
LOVELOCK, NV - A long-distance truck driver was killed five miles west of Lovelock early this morning when his tractor trailer loaded with mail overturned on Interstate 80.
The incident occurred at 3:05 a.m. The Nevada Highway Patrol reported the driver, heading west, veered into the center dirt median where the truck and trailer overturned. The driver sustained massive injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, the highway patrol said.
3 men found dead in Detroit shop; Carbon monoxide poisoning suspected;
DETROIT, MI -- Three Detroit men were found dead in a furniture resale shop on the 14000 block of Schaefer early Sunday of what appears to be a case of carbon monoxide poisoning a day after the shop's owner was hospitalized seemingly for the same cause, according to family and friends. A generator was found running in the closed building, according to Detroit Police, who are investigating.
The bodies of Patrick Kulczyk, 50; Michael Johnson, 50; and Ladell Brooks, whose age could not be confirmed, were discovered at about 8 a.m. Sunday by Richard Pierce, a friend of the shop's owner, Charles Halliburton. The men were filling in for Halliburton, who was found passed out at the store at about 1 a.m. Saturday and was taken to Sinai-Grace Hospital, said a tearful Susan Kulczyk, sister of Patrick Kulczyk.
Tow truck driver killed after helping disabled motorist
EAST GREENWICH, RI — A 32-year-old tow truck operator assisting a disabled motorist was struck and killed yesterday afternoon by a 36-ton lumber truck on Route 4 when he ran onto the road to pick up debris, the state police said.
The man, whose name is being withheld until family members are notified, was hit at 2:25 p.m. by a truck owned by Douglas Lumber Kitchens & Home Center in Smithfield. He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterward, said state Trooper Sgt. Paul Olszewski. He worked for Herb’s Towing Co. in Warwick.
Man dies in The Landings stabbing
Fort Myers, FL -- An employee of The Landings’ golf course south of Fort Myers has been charged with stabbing and killing a co-worker after an argument Friday. Augustine Lorenz Wylie, 39, of 484 Lorraine Drive, Fort Myers, is being held in the Lee County Jail. He’s charged with second-degree murder of Fort Myers man James Edwin Marshall, 43, of 6103 Lake Front Drive. The two men got into an argument when the victim started questioning Wylie’s work performance, said Ileana Foell, a sheriff’s spokeswoman. Wylie wrestled with his co-worker, pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Marshall repeatedly in the chest and neck, killing him.
Cab driver shot twice, killed
Forest Park, GA -- A 39-year-old taxi cab driver was shot twice in the back while driving on Old Dixie Highway in Forest Park Wednesday morning, police said. Witnesses told Clayton County Police they heard a gunshot and saw the south-bound Yellow Cab swerve across oncoming traffic at about 8:45 a.m., Assistant Police Chief Jeff Turner said. “He crossed over the north-bound lane and crashed in the wood line,” Turner said. Witnesses said they heard a second shot immediately after the crash, they told police.
A passenger climbed from the vehicle and ran away and the driver, Dacula resident Emmanuel Abuna, climbed out after him, police said. “The driver climbed out of back passenger side door,” Turner said. He collapsed a short time later. Abuna died in emergency surgery at 3:30 Wednesday afternoon, police said.
Truck driver killed in Waupaca County crash
TOWN OF DAYTON, WI — A semi truck driver was killed Friday after he was struck by a motorist who crossed the center line about five miles south of Waupaca. According to the Waupaca County Sheriff's Department, the crash happened shortly after 2 p.m. on State 22 near Rural.
A northbound vehicle, driven by a 62-year-old Waupaca man was northbound on State 22 and crossed over the center line into the path of the southbound semi, which was loaded with lime. The two vehicles sideswiped each other causing the car to roll over on its side. The driver of the semi, a 34-year-old Campbellsport man, lost control of the rig, which went into the west ditch and overturned, trapping the driver. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
2 killed, 1 injured in ambulance crash
Austin, TX -- The drivers of an ambulance and a pickup truck were fatally injured Tuesday when the two vehicles collided on a rain-slick road near Austin. Two people were killed when an ambulance and truck collided on rain-slicked roads. Kyla Wilson, 29, a paramedic with Marble Falls EMT, remained in critical condition at Brackenridge Hospital. Her partner, Eric Hanson, 26, did not survive. The ambulance collided with a pickup truck before dawn on State Highway 71 near Bee Cave. Investigators say speed and a wet road caused the pickup truck driver to lose control. The truck was sideways on the road when it was hit by the ambulance.
Milwaukee police: Slain delivery driver was college student from Lodi
MILWAUKEE, WI -- A family in Lodi (LOH-dye) just north of Madison say they've been devastated by news that their relative, a college student, was shot to death while working at a part-time job as a delivery driver in Milwaukee last evening. Police identified the victim as 21-year-old Joseph Munz from Lodi.
Munz, was a junior in the business school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which is located less than a mile east of the shooting scene in the Riverwest neighborhood.
Police identify driver in fatal I-78 wreck, fire
Clinton Township, NJ -- The truck driver who died when his rig burned on Interstate 78 in Clinton Township Wednesday night was a 51-year-old Central Pennsylvania man, police said. Curtis C. Kickuth, of Newport in Perry County, died in the wreck at 8:21 p.m. below the Route 31 overpass near exit 17, according to New Jersey State Police at Perryville. He was driving his tractor-trailer eastbound when he lost control, ran off the right side of the highway, and struck the guide rail and bridge abutment. The tractor and trailer were engulfed in flames, and the eastbound lanes of I-78 were shut down completely for about an hour. The center and right lanes reopened about 4 this morning
Colleagues mourn a hard-worker; A man slain on a Durham street worked a prodigious schedule in the trade he loved: pizza
DURHAM, NC -- Disco -- most never knew his real name was Christopher Kyle Chambers -- spent much of his adult life putting in 60-hour weeks at pizza chains, pulling his last stint for four years at the Papa John's near the Duke University campus. He was killed in the 1400 block of James Street at 9:42 p.m. Tuesday by a gunman riding a BMX bicycle.
Chambers, 43, was a workhorse, volunteering for shifts unloading the twice-weekly load of products, running to other stores to swap ingredients, getting out of bed at 1 a.m. to help a staff overwhelmed by the late-night munchie crowd.
Community mourns Versailles brothers killed at farming site
WAYNE TWP., OH - Craig and Doug Meier were working side by side on the grain harvest on Saturday. It was a job they had done many for years and planned to do many more times in the future as farmers working their own land. Both brothers lived at home, but Craig, 28, was getting ready to move to his own place, a recently refurbished farmhouse around the corner, where he could have own land and still continue to help with the family farm, said neighbor Don Bohman. A housewarming party was planned for Craig on Saturday night.
Instead, friends and family stopped by the family home all day to offer comfort after the two brothers were electrocuted and killed in an accident while harvesting grain. Visitors helped with farm chores that would normally be done by the brothers, including milking the cows and moving hay bales, Bohman said. On Saturday morning, Craig and Doug Meier were working with farm equipment that came in contact with overhead power lines on a farm site they were renting at 11454 Ohio 47, northeast of Versailles. They were transported to Miami Valley Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Local trucker killed in 1-vehicle accident
ROBSTOWN, TX -- A 63-year-old Corpus Christi man involved in a one-vehicle accident near Robstown died from his injuries in a Corpus Christi hospital, DPS officials said.
David Davila was traveling westbound about 8:20 a.m. Monday on State Highway 44 about three miles west of Robstown when his 18-wheeler veered off the road. The truck struck a concrete drainage ditch and came to a stop in a plowed field.
Cabbie shot to death
Chicago, IL -- Sonnie Wellington, a gregarious, longtime South Side cabdriver, was shot to death early Thursday after picking up a fare, minutes before the end of his overnight shift. At about 4:55 a.m.,Wellington, 63, picked up three young men near his cab company's dispatch office in the 8000 block of South King Drive, according to his stepdaughter and other cabdrivers.
Police officers responded around 5 a.m. to an accident in the 2200 block of East 95th Street, Chicago Police Officer Robin Mohr said. When they arrived, they found a Jiffy Cab that had crashed into a light pole. Wellington was unresponsive. Paramedics arrived soon after and found he had been shot on the upper left side of his body, Mohr said.
Electrocuted worker was 33-year-old Mankato man
Mankato, MN -- A man electrocuted Wednesday while installing a gutter on a house in Orono has been identified as Shawn Longton, 33, of Mankato.The Hennepin County medical examiner's officer ruled the death an accident Thursday. Longton was installing an aluminum gutter with another man when a power line touched the gutter, sending electricity through it and into Longton, who fell 25 feet to the ground. The cause of death was high-voltage electrocution, the medical examiner's office said. The other man was also shocked, but he survived. The men were working for Lacina Siding & Windows Inc. of Mankato, an installer of the LeafAway gutter protection system.
Worker crushed to death at gravel pit
HENDERSON Minn. -- A worker died after being crushed in machinery at a gravel pit near Henderson, in south-central Minnesota. Sibley County authorities say Glen Phillips, 59, of Shawneetown, Ill., was helping with repairs to a piece of machinery at the Cemstone gravel pits, north of Henderson, when the cab came lose and fell, pinning him against a catwalk. Phillips died at the scene. The accident happened about 10 a.m. Wednesday.
City worker killed in traffic accident
Austin, TX -- A city of Austin truck was involved in a deadly accident Thursday. A Solid Waste Services truck was traveling along FM 1327 when it rear-ended the back of a tanker-truck stopped in traffic, investigators said. The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. Kenneth Ray Gardner, 42, died. The driver of the tanker was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Police Investigate Cab Driver's Slaying
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a cab driver --Winston-Salem's 18th homicide of the year. The incident occurred at about 1:38 a.m. Thursday at 25th Street and Patrick Avenue. Officers said they located a cab in the driveway of 622 E. 25th St. and that the cab had collided with a truck. Bira Gueye, 47, was found in the cab with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his upper torso, according to a statement from investigators.
Illinois truck driver's body recovered from submerged semi
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The body of an Illinois truck driver whose semitrailer plunged into the Licking River in eastern Kentucky was recovered Wednesday, ending a 14-hour search. Rapid waters hindered the overnight rescue effort, said state Trooper Ralph Lockard. The body was trapped inside the submerged truck until officials with the Army Corps of Engineers were able to slow the river's flow by shutting off spillways.
The driver, Rondel R. Rush, 38, of Ina, Ill., was transporting cereal and other dry goods to a Family Dollar distribution center in Rowan County, Lockard said. The truck was owned by Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., an Illinois-based food manufacturer.
Truck driver killed in crash
Upper Freehold, NJ -- The driver of a dump truck was killed when his truck collided with a tractor trailer loaded with lumber and caught on fire on Interstate 195 in Upper Freehold Township this morning. The identity of the victim was not released pending notification of his next of kin. The dump truck is registered to a company in Pennsylvania.
Lobsterman feared dead; Four people are rescued from large waves off Cape Elizabeth
CAPE ELIZABETH, ME -- Rescuers suspended their search Wednesday night for the captain of a lobster boat that overturned earlier in the day, sending three men into the rough surf near McKenney Point. For much of the day, loberstermen and rescuers kept up hope the man was able to survive the pounding waves and 59-degree ocean temperature, but their optimism dwindled Wednesday night and the search was called off just before 11 p.m. Deputy Fire Chief Michael Jordan said rescuers were looking for Steve Smith, the captain and owner of the April Lee.
