Weekly Toll

Our condolences, thoughts and hearts are with the family members who have had to endure the loss of a loved one due to a workplace incident. We are here to help. Please reach out to us.

April 17, 2015 - 63 year old Tony Mageo was just starting his shift at Vaupell Industrial Plastics when he started to show symptoms of a heart attack. Emergency medical services were called but not able to revive him.

April 18, 2015 - Ecorse, MI - 41 year old Heather D. Warren of Inkster was directing a tractor trailer semi, helping guide it into a bay when she was struck and killed by the trailer of the truck. It is being reported that the truck driver has been charged with her death. She was an employee for US Steel in Ecorse.

April 27, 2015 - Austin, TX - 46 year old Kristen McLane was with a medical helicopter crew attempting to rescue a woman from a hiking trail when something went horribly wrong. As she was suspended from the helicopter helping the woman into it when she fell from her hoist. She was a member of the Travis County Star Flight team.

April 30, 2015 - Forreston, IL - 20 year old James C. Campbell of Prestonburg, KY was working on the Canadian Pacific Railroad in Illinois. As he was using an ATV, a large magnetic boom struck the top of the vehicle and pushed it onto its side. Officials said the boom spun out of control as it was being used to lift metal railroad spikes.He was an employee for the R.J. Corman Railroad Group of Nicholasville, Ky.

April 30, 2015 - Des Peres, MO - A 53 year old unidentified man from St. Ann, MO was killed on the job as he was parking a four-wheel hydraulic basket lift in a mall parking garage. He was pinned between the rail of the basket, from where he was operating the machine, and a low steel girder overhang in the ceiling. It is not known who he worked for and repeated attempts to locate his name have been unsuccessful.

May 2, 2015 - West Chester, OH - 24 year old Amber Marie Rooks of Norwood was working with a crew when she was struck along with four others who were injured when a motorist, alleged to be an impaired and texting driver. They were struck approximately April 21st. Her employer, Area Wide Protective (AWP) and Bowling Energy Services, were contracted by Duke Energy to do the work ongoing that day on Cox Road.

May 3, 2015 - Shelby County, IN - 30 year old Melinda Thompson of Spiceland was driving her United States Postal Service delivery vehicle making deliveries when it appears she went off the roadway and her vehicle flipped over.

May 4, 2015 - Queens, NY - 25 year old Brian Moore was a New York Police officer was shot in the head by a man with an extensive criminal record on May 2nd as he sat in his patrol car. The officer was shot as he and his partner pulled up to question 35-year-old identified suspect.

May 4, 2015 - Skokie, IL - 68 year old Robert Leburkien of Mount Pleasant was working at an apartment complex when he fell seven stories from the roof of the building. He was taken to a local hospital where he died.

May 4, 2015 - Franklin, NJ - 43 year old Selvin Antulio Lopez-Castillo of Plainfield was running a drainage line around the foundation of a home being built in Franklin County when the eight foot trench he was in collapsed around him. He was an employee for Adonai Contracting LLC of Plainfield.

May 5, 2015 - Hell's Kitchen, NY - 25 year old Christian Gisci of Jersey City was working on an unfinished elevator shaft at a luxury hotel in Hell's Kitchen when he fell 25 stories down the shaft and landed in the basement of the building. He was rushed to an area hospital where he died of his injuries. He was an employee for G-Tech Associates Elevator Company.

May 5, 2015 - Detroit, MI - 53 year old Donald Megge of Sterling Heights, a millwright and wastewater operator at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant died in an incident shortly after starting his morning shift. He was performing regular preventive maintenance and was discovered by another. It is not clear how or the circumstances of his death but some reports state he was crushed in machinery.

May 5, 2015 - Coeur D'Alene, ID - Sgt. Greg Moore, a 16 year veteran of the Coeur D'Alene Police Department, was shot to death while sitting in his car. He was out doing routine random patrols in an area that have experienced some auto burglaries when he was ambushed by a man who, after shooting him, stole his patrol vehicle. The suspect was later captured and charged in the officer's murder.

USMWF is a community of people who have experienced the loss of a loved one at work. We understand the pain and grief this type of loss is about. We are here to help in any way we can. www.usmwf.org

May 5, 2015 - New Haven, CT - 61 year old Arthur Hilario Jr. of New Milford was working on road construction in New Haven as a crane operator. A long time employee for O & G Industries, and a member of Local Union 478, died after he fell from the crane he was operating. He died at an area hospital of head trauma.

May 5, 2015 - Bothell, WA - 53 year old Kevin Iverson of Ravensdale was sitting at his desk at Lockheed Martin Aculight Corp. in Bothell when he suffered a fatal heart attack. His death is ruled natural causes.

May 5, 2015 - Morgantown, WV - 34 year old Douglas Michael Peterman of Fairmont was working in a bucket truck when he came into contact with a wire and he was electrocuted. He was an employee for Westside Communications.

May 6, 2015 - Zion Crossroads, VA - 46 year old Sean Marcos Lucas of Palmyra was working to fill his tractor trailer full of the tiny wood particles when he stopped and got back into his truck thinking all of the sawdust had come down, but it had not. A spokesman said a large amount of sawdust suddenly started falling after Lucas got back into his truck. He then got out of the cab of his truck to try to escape, but the sawdust fell too fast. He was an employee for Chips, Inc. Sawmill.

May 7, 2015 - Spokane, WA - 64 year old Richard Runyon (left)of Cheney and 60 year old Lyndon Amestoy (right) of Spokane were both experienced pilots were performing a late afternoon text flight when something went wrong and the plane went down into the Spokane River above the Upriver Dam. Runyon was the owner and manager of the Flying R Ranch Airport in Cheney and Amestoy was employed by Rocket Engineering Corp. Runyon may have worked for Rocket Engineering as well.

May 8, 2015 - Chicago, IL - 52 year old Michael Yates of Carol Stream was a baggage handler for Southwest Airlines working at Midway International Airport when the luggage hauler he was operating collided with another luggage hauler, causing him to be ejected from the vehicle. He died after being taken to an area hospital.

May 10, 2015 - Hattiesburg, MS - 34 year old K9 Officer Benjamin J. "BJ" Deen (left) and 25 year old Officer Liquori Tate were part of the Hattiesburg Police Department. They were on a routine traffic stop when they were shot to death those being stopped. Three suspects were arrested and charged in the murders of Deen and Tate.

May 11, 2015 - Ypsilanti, MI - 38 year old Jeremy W. Burd of Maybee was a construction worker at the Ypsilanti Thompson Block on a building that was being renovated. He and three others were working in the basement when an upper floor gave way and crashed down onto them. The other workers escaped. Thompson Block was owned by Thompson Block Partners but it is not known who his employer was.

May 11, 2015 - Louisville, KY - 26 year old Christopher Cook was working on the paint line at Cardinal Aluminum, Okolona, Plant when he was killed on the job. Authorities say he was reaching for a piece of equipment when something went terribly wrong but did not give a specific cause of death except to say blunt force trauma.

May 11, 2015 - Glen Ellen, CA - 23 year old Cody McBride of Santa Rosa was operating an excavator at a home in Glen Ellen for construction of a swimming pool when he tried to escape from an excavator as it was tipping over. He tried to jump outside of the machine but suffered fatal injuries. He was employed with A Plus Pool & Spa.

May 12, 2015 - Rostraver, IN - 34 year old Drew James Molinari of Belle Vernon was the victim of a targeted shooting at his place of employment. He was a sales clerk at Minniti Motor Sports auto store when a gunman walked into the store and shot Molinari several times. At this time, police are still looking for the gunman and trying to discern a motive for the murder.

May 13, 2015 - Cle Elum, WA - 34 year old Scott Lee Rhodes was working in Cle Elum for KJR Trucking when he tripped while walking beside heavy equipment and was run over by the tracks of the machine while it was backing up. No further information was found.

May 15, 2015 - Tacoma, WA - 68 year old Bernard Cordova of Roy, WA was the owner and dispatcher for BLC Trucking, Inc. He was found unresponsive by others. It was determined he died of natural causes due to heart disease.

May 15, 2015 - Clarksville, AR - 42 year old Reserve Officer Sonny Smith died in the line of duty as he and other sheriff’s deputies were searching for a burglary suspect. As deputies were searching an area outside of Clarksville, Smith confronted an individual who shot him. The deputy was taken to an area hospital where he died. The suspect was arrested. Smith was an 11 year veteran for the Johnson County Sheriff Department.

May 20, 2015 - Omaha, NE - 29 year old Kerrie Orozco was a 7 year veteran of the Omaha Police Department, and scheduled to take a late maternity leave a day after she was gunned down in the line of duty. Orozco went to help officers who went to serve a felony arrest warrant on a convicted felon and known gang member. Gunfire erupted just before she arrived and in a second round of shots she was just above her protective vest. The suspect was killed in the exchange with police.

As always, we give our condolences to those who have lost a loved one to a workplace incident. If we can help you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us. We have experienced a workplace death and are here for you.

May 1, 2015 - Norcross, GA - 52 year old Wade Frank Blackwell of Loganville, GA was attempting to adjust a window sill in the attic of a building under renovation. He died when he fell from the window. He was a self employed contractor.

May 1, 2015 - Houghton City, MI - 48 year old Frank Morin Jr. was an employee for Houghton City and was struck and killed by the unoccupied dump truck that he was performing a brake check on. A second worker was injured in the incident but was treated and released from the hospital.

May 1, 2015 - Freer, TX - 38 year old Nestor Lerma Jr. was killed on the job when he fell into a point of operation of a drill cable line. He was an employee for H & K Well Service LLC of Freer.

May 5, 2015 - Woodstock, IL - 57 year old Michael Mouroukas of Hawthorne Woods was a contractor working on construction of the new Harley-Davidson motorcycle store in Woodstock when he fell through a hole in the second story of the building. He was employed by R & M Contractors.

May 5, 2015 - St. Louis, MO - David Herrera Orozco was working for a landscape company when he was fatally struck by a tree limb during work. Attempts to find more information was not found. He was employed by Brake Landscaping & Lawncare Inc.

May 6, 2015 - Newark, NJ - 51 year old James Mahoney of Atco was killed on the job when he fell down an elevator shaft. He was the manager with Tricon Enterprises, Inc. and was working to demolish a building. Mahoney and his wife, who also works Tricon, were both working to remove asbestos on the building's second floor when he somehow fell down the shaft.

May 7, 2015 - Milwaukee, WI - 49 year old Andres Marin selling ice cream from a pedal cart on the street when he was struck by a motorist who struck another vehicle that was attempting to make a turn. Marin was employed by Pateteria Montealban LLC.

May 7, 2015 - Westover, MD - 53 year old Robert Andres Tamargo died on the job when he was electrocuted when he touch energized parts of switch gear. He was employed by General Electric International Inc.

May 8, 2015 -Auburndale, WI - 29 year old Michael Ray Brock of Vesper was working under a semi truck when the jack under the truck failed and it fell onto Brock, crushing him. He was employed by Dorshorst Trucking & Excavating LLC in Auburndale.

May 8, 2015 - Enterprise, AL - 52 year old Earl Kenny Grandberry, Sr. of Troy was trimming trees using a bucket truck when he fell from the bucket. It is not clear how or why he fell. He was an employee of Tolbert Tree Service & Stump Grinding out of Enterprise.

May 8, 2015 - Surrency, GA - 30 year old Carlos Lopez-Rodriguez of Jesup was working for Southeastern Gin Inc. of Surrency when he was killed after being struck by a falling fan shroud. Attempts to find more information have been unsuccessful.

May 9, 2015 - Sheffield Village, OH - 54 year old Timothy Allen Murphy of Elyria died on the job after falling from the outside of a tower. He fell doing his normal duties using a hose, but he apparently lost his balance and fell. He was employed by Quasar Energy Group of Sheffield Lake, OH.

May 16, 2015 - Augusta, GA - Ricardo Ramirez Aguas was working with a crew on a home construction project when he fell from the second story. He had just delivered water bottles to a framing crew on the second floor when he fell, striking his head on the concrete floor below. He was a native of Mexico and did not speak English. He was working for Noe Martinez.

May 19, 2015 - Lewis County, WV - 24 year old Jacob Wayne McClain of French Creek died in a logging incident when he was struck by a felled tree. He was cutting a tree down, when that tree fell into another tree which fell in an unexpected direction and he was struck. It is not known who his employer was.

May 20, 2015 - Dallas, TX - 60 year old Bernard Armstrong was part of a road crew when he was struck and killed by a drunk motorist. He had been driving a "crash cushion" truck behind a garbage truck but was standing beside the truck on the shoulder when he was hit.

May 22, 2015 - Guilderland, NY - 54 year old Sean McCutcheon of Schenectady was a 19 year employee for the Guilderland Department of Public Works/Highway Department. He was riding on a compactor truck picking up yard debris when he fell from the truck as it was backing up.

May 23, 2015 - Longmont, CO - 21 year old Taylor Joseph Thyfault of Mead was a Colorado State Patrol Cadet was on scene of an accident when he was struck by a motorist. The motorist was fleeing Troopers in an unrelated incident when Thyfault screamed for the tow truck driver at the accident scene to "get off the road", which the driver feels saved his life. Unfortunately Thyfault was killed in the incident. Another Trooper who was also on the scene of the previous accident was hurt and taken to a hospital.

May 24, 2015 - New Orleans, LA - 45 year old James Bennett, Jr. was an officer for the New Orleans Housing Authority when he was shot while sitting in his patrol car. He was shot while he was providing security for a construction site. Authorities do not have a motive or suspect but are conducting an investigation.

May 25, 2015 - Rio Rancho, NM - 49 year old Greg Benner was an officer for the Rio Rancho Police Department when he was shot to death during a routine traffic stop. Officer Benner made a traffic stop but the driver sped away after giving conflicting information. The driver had an active arrest warrant. After the driver took off, Benner was able to stop the driver again. At that time the suspect opened fire on Officer Benner. The police were able to arrest the suspect.

May 25, 2015 - Minneapolis, MN - 29 year old Tyrell Ladd Anderson of Gering, NE was killed on the job after being struck by a train car. He was unloading track material when a locomotive passing on another track hit the material, causing it to fall on top of Anderson. He was an employee for Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad.

May 25, 2015 - Hattiesburg, MS - 53 year old Sgt. Iris Janett Smith of Lucedale was killed on the job when the prison van she was driving drove into the back of a semi truck. She was going to escort an inmate from one hospital to another. Smith was a correctional officer for South Mississippi Correctional Institution.

May 26, 2015 - Grand Forks, ND - 70 year old Gregory Weiland was an employee for a WalMart store in Grand Forks when an airman from the nearby Air Force Base showed up and began shooting. Weiland was hit by the gunfire and another employee was also injured but released from the hospital. Police do not think there is a link between the airman and the victims.

May 26, 2015 - Bloomington, IL - 56 year old John G. Hoeniges was a maintenance mechanic for McClean County when he was killed in an elevator incident. The incident was not witnessed but he could have been struck by an elevator counter weight. He was working at the McClean County Law and Justice Center.

May 26, 2015 - Onondaga, NY - 53 year old Christopher Hamelinck was an elevator mechanic for Otis Elevator Company when he was killed on the job. He was working in an elevator shaft at a central New York nursing home when another elevator came down, pinning him between a steel ladder and a support beam.

May 26, 2015 - Shawano, WI - 30 year old Derek T. Stempa was part of a road construction crew, his duties being a flagger. He died on the job after being struck by a motorist in the construction zone. It is not known who he was employed by.

May 27, 2015 - Elgin, NE - 40 year old Thomas L. Bales of Denver, CO was killed on the job when the 90 ton crane he was operating rolled into a field. The crane too near the edge of a road when it overturned. He was working on the Prairie Breeze II Wind Energy Center for Invenergy. His employer was Tradesman International but was working for Wanzek Construction, Inc.

May 28, 2015 - Zilwaukee, MI - 50 year old Steve Rivera died on the job when he was crushed under a concrete beam as it was being transferred from one work station to another. He was working for Stress-Con Industries.

May 28, 2015 - Edwardsville, IL - 47 year old Roger Kolweier of O'Fallon was killed in an incident while working at the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville campus. He was repaving Stadium Drive for Keller Construction when a piece of construction equipment broke loose. It rolled down an embankment and hit and killed him.

Going to work should not be a grave mistake. USMWF has a goal to bring awareness to the fact that worker's die on the job every single day in America. If we can help you in any way, please let us know.

May 18, 2015 - Spokane Valley, WA - Doug Pinyerd of Post Falls, ID was working in Washington state when he suddenly died of natural causes. He was getting his paperwork ready for the day when he collapsed and looked like he was having a seizure. He was employed by Viking Builders LLC.

May 25, 2015 - Spokane, WA - 38 year old Dr. Christopher David Vernon of Greenacres had just arrived at Sacred Heart Hospital to begin his shift. While walking to the nurse's station he collapsed. It was determined that he died of a heart attack. He was employed by Spokane Critical Care Associates.

May 27, 2015 - Lynnwood, WA - Michael Ryman, "Big Mike", was a service technician for Frontier Communications Northwest, Inc. when he was found unresponsive in his office. It was determined he died of natural cause/vascular issues.

May 29, 2015 - Coupeville, WA - Andre Hendricks was a food prep worker for Senior Services of Island County. He was in the kitchen preparing meals for "Meals on Wheels" where he collapsed and was found on the floor by his supervisor. He died at the scene of a heart attack.

June 1, 2015 - Kennewick, WA - Luis Ramos died on the job of a brain aneurysm which caused him to fall from a height. He was working for Finley Cherries, LLC.

June 2, 2015 - Salem, OR - 55 year old William Hatch III was a highway worker inside a construction zone when he was struck by an impaired driver in the work zone. Hatch was standing by a grinding machine when the driver struck the corner of the machine. He was employed by Salem Road and Driveway.

June 2, 2015 - Old Town, ME - 54 year old Mark Allen Guay of Norridgewock was preparing his chip trailer to be unloaded when he climbed up onto his trailer, lost his balance and fell about 25 feet to the bottom of a chip machine’s hopper. He was at the Expera mill in Old Town and an employee of Richard Carrier Trucking.

June 3, 2015 - Hibbing, MN - 22 year old Patrick D. "Pat" Ryan died after being pinned by a piece of foundry machinery causing traumatic cardiac arrest. He was injured on May 26 and died in the hospital. He was an employee for Cast Corporation.

June 3, 2015 - Tobbyhanna, PA - 54 year old Alfredo Telemaco of Mount Hope Bronx, NY was driving a tour bus carrying Italian tourists near the Pocono Region of Pennsylvania when for an unknown reason the bus veered across a grassy median and crashed into the side of a semi truck's trailer. Two passengers also died in the crash. The bus was owned by Academy Bus.

June 3, 2015 - Seabeck, WA - Gary Michaels was an owner of Michaels & Michaels Tile and was working on a construction site when he collapsed on the site due to a natural caused heart attack.

June 4, 2015 - Orondo, WA - 49 year old Silvestre Avila of East Wenatchee was the owner of Green Land Maintenance and was operating a commercial mower near a river bank. The bank gave way and the mower rolled over, crushing him.

June 4, 2015 - Boardman, OH - 48 year old Alfredo Bliss of Fowler was killed on the job after a truck he was working under fell onto him. He was working under a pickup truck to disconnect the linkage so the truck could be moved. He was an employee for Crump's Towing.

June 5, 2015 - Rush Springs, OK - 47 year old Gordon Ray Pipkin was an Oklahoma Department of Transportation employee who was working with a maintenance crew on Highway 91, near Rush Springs. He was killed on the job when he was struck by a motorist in the work zone. It is not clear what caused the motorist to veer into Pipkin.

was working underneath a pickup truck to disconnect the linkage so the truck could be moved - See more at: http://www.vindy.com/news/2015/jun/05/osha-probes-death-employee-boardman-business/#sthash.drYM2oZ5.dpuf

Our thoughts are with all those affected by a work related incident. We are here to help in any way we can. Please don't hesitate to contact us. Please note that we make every attempt to locate an article to link to each post where we can.

May 6, 2015 - Fredericksburg, VA - Keith Johnson was killed at work when the forklift he was operating overturned on him. He was employed by Hollinger Corporation of Fredericksburg.

May 8, 2015 - Las Vegas, NV - Lawrence Waddell was an employee of Apache Electric of Las Vegas when he was buried in a trench collapse. No other information has been found.

May 11, 2015 - Powell, OH - Marcellus Tolliver died on the job when he was crushed by a sand hopper that fell from a forklift. He was working at The Columbus Coal & Lime Co. at the time of his death.

May 11, 2015 - Jasper, MN - 50 year old Sharla Drew (left) is being called a hero when she went into a barn that was on fire in an attempt to rescue 32 year old Kristy Giesler, both of Jasper. Drewwas an employee for New Horizon Farms. Giesler, who worked for VanHawk Power Washing of Jasper, was power washing a barn at the farm when something sparked a fire. It appears Drew ran into the barn to rescue Giesler and both perished in the fire.

May 11, 2015 - Bloomington, CA - 63 year old Judge William Lightfoot of Henderson, NV was working a job in Bloomington when he was struck and crushed by a 75 ton crane boom that he was operating. He was a master crane operator who had 40 years of experience in the industry and worked many well known construction sites in Las Vegas. He was employed by Reliable Crane Services of Bloomington at the time of his death.

May 11, 2015 - Salt Lake City, UT - 51 year old Richard "Richie" Pierce died following a fall from a ladder at a Layton Construction Company work site. It is not clear as to how or why he fell. He was employed by SME Steel Contractors, Inc., a subcontractor on the job.

May 11, 2015 - Louisville, KY - Kristopher Cook was killed on the job when he was crushed between a machine guard and a metal lift post of a conveyor machine. He was employed by Cardinal Aluminum Co.

May 13, 2015 - Miami, OK - 50 year old Tracey Allen Williams of Afton was killed on the job when he was crushed inside a machine when it became re-energized. He was a maintenance employee for Scepter Manufacturing, LLC of Miami.

May 14, 2015 - Devine, TX - 33 year old Elias Contreras was working on a restaurant sign from a basket of a truck-mounted aerial life when he fell from the lift. He fell approximately 100 feet. The reason why is unknown. He was employed by General Signs, Inc. of Devine.

May 14, 2015 - Hilbert, WI - Thomas Ramirez was fatally crushed by an overhead door while working. He was employed by Holsum Dairies, LLC of Hilbert. No other information was available.

May 14, 2015 - Lexington, KY - Chiu Kin Wing was killed on the job when he was crushed by a piece of granite that fell from a forklift. He was employed by Tyson Stone, Inc. in Lexington.

May 14, 2015 - Louisa, KY - 50 year old Thomas Lee Dickerson of Kiahsville, WV was working to unload logs from a semi truck when he was struck by one of the logs. He was employed by Wayne Lumber and Mulch in Louisa.

May 14, 2015 - Jacksonville, FL - 42 year old Alexander Cordova of Tampa was working for Big Ben Transport, Inc., a subcontractor working on the I-295 Expansion Project when he was crushed by a 7 1/2 ton concrete panel. He was the driver of a transport vehicle filled with sound barriers. He was standing next to the semi truck when one of the concrete panels fell from the truck.

May 15, 2015 - Caneyville, KY - 38 year old Jamie Dwayne Woosley of Morgantown was killed on the job when the vehicle he was driving sped down a road, struck an embankment and overturned, partially ejecting Woosley. He was employed by Otis Bryant and Sons, Inc. (Bryant Farms) of Leitchfield.

May 16, 2015 - Carlinville, IL - Vernon England died on the job when the tractor he was operating slid into a ravine and overturned. He was employed by Marcus Davis, a landscape company. No further information is known.

May 17, 2015 - Quanah, TX - Mario Ramos Ortiz was killed on the job when he was struck by a drill casing. He was employed by Steinberger Drilling Co, Ltd. No other information is known.

May 19, 2015 - Channelview, TX - Stan Shylkofski was killed on the job when he was crushed when a tractor overturned. He was employed by LaBarge Coating, LLC. No other information was found.

May 21, 2015 - Prairieville, LA - 38 year old Courtney Jones of Yazoo, MS was fatally electrocuted as he was installing cablevision and internet lines along a roadway. Due to heavy vegetation and his back to power lines he did not see that he was going to come into contact with them.

Our sincerest condolences go out to the families of those who have died on the job. Our wish that through our post is to honor them and make sure they are not forgotten.

May 12, 2015 - Marathon, FL - 47 year old Pedro Jose Sanchez was killed on the job when the backhoe he was operating rolled over. He was employed by 3rd Generation Plumbing.

May 14, 2015 - Dallas, TX - 44 year old Jorge Carrion Torres was at his job on an apartment construction site when he fell from an upper floor. Details are not clear as to how or why he fell. He was employed by Design Plastering, Inc.

June 2, 2015 - Elko, NV - 61 year old David D. Martinez was one of two water truck drivers who were parked facing each other and working on Martinez’s truck. After they were done they checked around their trucks and Martinez walked to the porta potty. As the other driver began to drive away he had to avoid a collision and ended up crashing into the porta potty while Martinez was still inside. Both men worked for Allied Nevada Gold Corporation's Hycroft Mine.

June 2, 2015 - Clinton, AR - 51 year old Hubert Keith Moore of Chester and 40 year old Ricardo Trochez of Russellville, were working with a large crew on a construction site in on a bridge in Clinton when a log truck's tires blew out, causing the load to shift and the truck to overturn. As the logs spilled from the truck they struck two cars and 21 members of the construction crew. Unfortunately Moore and Trochez were killed. According to one of the obituaries the men most likely worked for Mobley Construction.

June 6, 2015 - Sneedville, TN - 34 year old Joshua "Josh" Mabe, a Tennessee Highway Patrolman, was working on his family's farm when he was crushed under a tractor at the farm. No other details are known.

June 7, 2015 - Lake Stevens, WA - 58 year old Marjorie M. Reed of Snohomish suffered fatal head injuries after falling from a ladder as she was stocking shelves. She was an employee for Target in Lake Stevens.

June 7, 2015 - Mechanicsburg, OH - 31 year old Dr. Austin Ayers had recently moved back to Ohio to be near family. He was a veterinarian by trade but was working at his family's dairy farm feeding cattle. He had been adding hay to the mixer, which is powered by a tractor, when he lost his balance and fell in. The machine was not turned off as was the normal practice.

June 8, 2015 - Blain, WA - 52 year old James "Loyd" Bost was working for and with a friend to guide a piece of equipment when two beams buckled causing the it to turn around and knock out the other two support beams. Bost was crushed under the falling structure. He was working for Call Paul, owned by Paul J. Davis.

June 9, 2015 - Afghanistan - 54 year old Krissie K. Davis of Talladega, FL was a member of the Defense Logistics Agency at the Anniston Army Depot. She was the first DLA Disposition Services civilian deployer killed from combat-related injuries. She died during an indirect attack on Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

June 9, 2015 - Orrum, NC - 37 year old Jeffery David Lowe was an employee for Top Notch Recovery when he was shot to death as he was legally repossessing a vehicle.

June 10, 2015 - Holyoke, MA - 51 year old Richard O'Reilly of Ware was working on a construction site on Interstate 91 when he was struck by a dump truck that was backing up. O'Reilly was an employee of Palmer Paving.

June 10, 2015 - Port Lavaca, TX - 21 year old James Wade Gutierrez of Victoria died on the job after being exposed to cyanide at the Ineos Nitriles plant. The circumstances of the exposure are not known. He was an employee for Zachry Industries.

June 10, 2015 - Orondo, WA - 34 year old Miguel Navarro of Wanatchee was killed on the job when he fell through a corrugated fiberglass skylight while roofing in Orondo. He had been making repairs to the metal roof when he fell. He was employed by Auvil Fruit Company, Inc.

June 11, 2015 - Somerville, MA - 40 year old Ronald "Moose" Morse of Hooksett, NH was a generous man according to family and friends. He will be missed by all who knew him. Moose as killed on the job in Massachusetts when a temporary hoist he was working from pulled away and fell from the side of a building on a construction site. He was working for Shiloh Steel Erectors of Raynham, MA.

June 11, 2015 - Frankfort, KY - 19 year old Jonathon Moore had his whole life ahead of him. Instead he died when a trench collapsed around him. He and another employee were installing a sewer line along a roadway when the trench gave way. He was employed by Josh Levre Construction of Jackson, TN

June 11, 2015 - Wood County, VA - 49 year old Randell Bland had a dangerous job. As do all who work on road construction. Bland was struck and killed in a multiple vehicle collision. A tanker truck driver struck a van and an SUV. Both vehicles were pushed into the work zone and he ended up pinned between the van and a work truck. He was employed by Department of Highways for Wood County.

Our thoughts and hearts are with all the families who must endure the loss of a loved one at work. If we can help you in any way, please contact us.

June 11, 2015 - Maramec, OK - 53 year old Jerald Warden died on the job after being struck in the head by a sign. He was directing a coworker driving a dump truck with a load of asphalt to fill a sinkhole. A bungee cord securing a stop sign in the bed of the truck broke, causing the sign to fall and hit Warden in the neck. He died at a local hospital. He was an employee for Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

June 12, 2015 - Waco, TX - 51 year old Jeffrey Lee "Jeff" Thaemert was working on a construction site at Baylor University when he was struck by an elevator. Details as to how or why are not clear. He was an independent electrician for Rosendin Electric out of Dallas.

June 12, 2015 - Malvern, OH - 24 year old Michael E. Straight was working at Minerva Enterprises, a construction landfill, when he was struck by one vehicle and between two vehicles. Details of the incident are not clear. He died after being taken to an area hospital.

June 12, 2015 - State College, PA - 29 year old Jarod Chapman of Union Town was killed on a construction site at Penn State's campus. He was breaking down a crane at the Burrowes Building to move it when another worker reportedly removed a pin. That action caused the crane to swung around and strike Chapman. He was an employee for Maccabee Industrial of Belle Vernon.

June 12, 2015 - Coralville, IA - 20 year old Andrea Farrington of Cedar Rapids was working her dream job at a children's museum at Coral Ridge Mall. She was also just days away from her 21st birthday. There she encountered a mall security officer who began stalking her. She was working at the mall's information center when this man, who had earlier been fired from his position, walked up to her and started shooting. She was struck in the back several times. The man was apprehended and charged with her murder.

June 15, 2015 - Winter Garden, FL - 43 year old David P. Rossman was crushed to death while trying to clear a jam in a machine. He apparently was trying to clear the jam from a massive cardboard compactor when he fell into the machine from the six foot platform which required a ladder to reach it. He was employed by Robert Wallick Associates, Inc., a recycling center.

June 12, 2015 - Calumet City, IL - 56 year old Andrew Brundidge died at hospital after falling into a silo full of toxic material. Is is unknown how or why he fell into the silo. He was working at Horsehead Resource Development Corp., a chemical refinery and recycling plant that processes electric arc furnace dust, a steel industry hazardous waster product, into zinc.

June 15, 2015 - Elgin, NE - 58 year old Sarri L. "Sam" Stecki was killed on the job after being run over by a truck. It appears she exited her vehicle when then began to roll. She attempted to stop the vehicle and most likely fell under the truck. She was an employee for Richard Amusements, a touring carnival.

June 15, 2015 - Harlan, KY - 23 year old Brandon Cloud was a civilian contractor working at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort when he died from a fall. He was working in an extension lift that collapsed and fell. He was employed by Davis Roofing.

June 15, 2015 - Henrico, VA - A 42 year old unidentified employee for Breedlove Masonry was killed on the job while working at Collegiate School. He was placing a joint on the roofing and his saw misfired and he was cut by the saw. Attempts to locate his name have been unsuccessful.

June 16, 2015 - Washington Twp, OH - 20 year old James "Jimmy" Bradley Brown of McComb died on the job of toxic exposure as he and another man were working on a septic tank at a home in Washington Township. For an unknown reason Brown crawled into the septic tank and was overcome by the fumes. The other worker was unable to pull him out. Obtained from another source he was employed by Siferd Plumbing and Heating.

June 16, 2015 - Fairbury, NE - 42 year old Scott Roker was fatally injured when he became pinned in a piece of machinery at a clay products manufacturing facility. It is unclear how or why he was caught in the machine. He was working for Endicott Clay Products, a brick making facility.

June 16, 2015 - Anchorage, AK - 23 year old Samuel Adam Morgan was killed on the job when he was buried in a trench collapse. He was part of a crew helping to build a road in South Anchorage working inside the trench. Coworkers were unable to dig him out. He was employed by Hartman Construction and Equipment, Inc.

June 16, 2015 - New Haven, CT - William Kiemenz, who was in his 50's died on the job when he drowned after falling into the water. He had been on a raft, working on putting a barge, dock and moorings at the Magellan Terminal Harbor fuel deposit site in New Haven. It is not clear how he fell from the raft but coworkers pulled him back onto it. He was a long time employee for Blakeslee Arpaia Chapman.

June 16, 2015 - Ottawa, MI - 40 year old Dale Berkompas of Dorr was fatally electrocuted while working on a job at Brink Truck Lines. He was an electrician foreman preparing to wire a fire pump to the electrical supply when he received an electrical shock. It is not clear if he worked for Brinks or another company.

June 17, 2015 - Crossville, TN - 38 year old Rowdy Gene Kivwitch of Picayune, MS was a member of a crew working to clear debris left by the ice storm that devastated an area of Tennessee in February. He was operating a construction loader stacking brush. The drive shaft of the loader broke, causing the equipment to lose its brakes and steering. The loader traveled down a hill, crossed a driveway and overturned, ejecting him. Kevwitch was working for a construction company contracted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through Cumberland County. Locating the name of his employer have not been successful.

June 17, 2015 - Sun Valley, CA - A 21 year old unidentified man died on the job after being crushed by heavy equipment at a concrete and asphalt recycling company in Sun Valley. A front end loader was being moved to another area of the facility when it backed up and ran over him. We have been unable to locate the man's name or his employer.

June 17, 2015 - Omaha, NE - 42 year old Jeffrey Glup received an electric shock at the site of the new Papillion Public Works Department facility. He was connecting downspouts on a sewer line when workers struck an electrical line with a backhoe which exposed an electric line. He was employed by TSI Mechanical of LaVista.

June 17, 2015 - San Juan, TX - 55 year old Roberto Alvarado of Santa Rosa died on the job when he reportedly slipped and fell, and made contact with a live transformer. There are no details as to how or why he fell. He was employed by Magic Valley Cooperative.

June 17, 2015 - Leland Grove, IL - 44 year old Daren Cox of Springfield died on the job after being involved in a lawn mowing incident. He was driving a commercial mower that overturned on a slope next to a creek, pinning him underneath the machine. He was seasonal employee for Leland Grove Public Works.

June 17, 2015 - Dalton, GA - An unidentified man died on the job when a car he was working under slipped off the jack, crushing him. He was employed by Cedar Creek Trucking.

June 19, 2015 - Ames, IA - 35 year old Javier Hernandez and Alfredo Jarez were working on a building under construction across the street from the ISU Memorial Union. Both men died from trauma after falling three stories off scaffolding. As one of the workers was falling, the other tried to grab him but couldn't stop and they both died. The safety harnesses worn were not tied off to the scaffolding. It is unknown who their employer was.

June 20, 2015 - Denver, NC - 43 year old Lisa Wilkerson of Sherrills Ford was making her usual deliveries for the United States Postal Service when a large tree fell on the vehicle, crushing her. She was making deliveries in an area that had experienced a thunderstorm.

June 21, 2015 - South Holland, IL - 42 year old Sergio Varela was doing electrical work for the rehab of a vacant home with his brother on the day he died. Three men walked up the site and apparently asked if there was any work. When they were told no, they barged into the home and shot Varela multiple times. He fell at his brother's feet. It is not known who the men were working for.

June 23, 2015 - Ballinger, TX - 67 year old Jose Carmona-Rico of Tye was working for a company that was repairing beams under a bridge in West Texas when a load of metal rods fell onto him. He was working for J.H. Strain & Sons, Inc. for Texas DOT.

June 23, 2015 - Cumberland, NC - 63 year old Sherion Boden Winfrey of Fayetteville died of probable heat related illness while working for Purolater Filters in Cumberland. She worked in a part of the factory that does not have air conditioning. She was taken to an area hospital where she died.

For those dealing with the loss of a loved one, we are here to help in any way we can. Please know we understand and our hearts go out to you.

June 22, 2015 - Augusta, GA - 44 year old Mike Hill was operating a large overhead crane when he fell almost seven stories to his death. For an unknown reason the cab was found dangling down by the grappling hook, and not up on the tracks and he fell from the cab as it collapsed. He was employed by International Paper Augusta mill.

June 23, 2015 - Rochester, NY - 54 year old Mark Keehley of Spenceport was killed on the job while working on the completion of a children's hospital in Rochester. He was in a mechanical room and was struck by a metal pipe fitting that he was working on. Keehley was an employee for Davis-Ulmer Sprinkler Company out of Rochester.

July 24, 2015 - Lincoln, NE - 41 year old Michael Snider of Sedlia, MO was working on a construction site when he was killed on the job. A piece of metal rebar fell 130 feet striking him directly on top of his hard hat. He died at the scene. He was employed by CBS Piling Solutions, Inc.

June 25, 2015 - Irrigon, OR - 57 year old Lenard "David" Abercrombie was fatally crushed by a partly raised tilt bed of a truck. Family became worried when they had not heard from him and after searching, they found him. It is not known who he was working for.

June 25, 2015 - Stratford, CT - 57 year old Antonio Simoes of Naugatuck was working on a construction site at Sikorsky Airport when he was killed on the job. He had been operating a gas powered saw to cut threw a water main on the airport runway project when the saw kicked back striking him in the neck. He was an employee for Manafort Brothers.

June 25, 2015 - Beltsville, MD - 62 year old Randy Jury of Halifax, PA died on the job during a road construction project near Beltsville. A tractor trailer driver failed to follow a bend in the road. It crashed into an attenuator truck with a flashing arrow on it, pushing it into another construction vehicle and then into Jury. He was an employee for L.S. Highway Construction Company.

June 25, 2015 - San Jose, CA - 38 year old Jose Macias, Jr. of Watsonville was an employee for ABM Electrical & Lighting, a subcontractor to OpTerra Energy Services. He was helping to retrofit San Jose street lights with LED lighting. He died on the job when he fell from the boom truck he was working from.

June 26, 2015 - Athens, GA - 25 year old Allen Michael Brown was killed on the job when he was struck and run over by a piece of machinery. He was walking in front of a forklift, possibly to secure an empty barrell at Federal-Mogul, an auto parts manufacturer, when for an unknown reason was run over by the machine.

June 26, 2015 - Conway, SC - 49 year old Mark Anthony Perino was electrocuted while working on a construction project on Highway 57. He was transported to a local hospital where he died. He was an employee for Quality Electric.

June 27, 2015 - Lowell, MI - 30 year old Jared Ross Looyenga of Hudsonville died in a fall from a silo at King Milling. He had been power washing a silo roof, working from a "skytrack" lift. At some point the lift touched a power line and its wheels caught fire. Looyenga was electrocuted and made it onto a nearby silo, but then fell about 60 feet to the ground.

June 29, 2015 - Pike Twp, OH - 46 year old Paul G. Vaughn of Canfield died after another truck struck the bucket portion of his aerial lift truck while he was working on a traffic signal. He was harnessed into the bucket when a semi truck struck the lift truck. He was employed by Thompson Electric of Munroe Falls.

June 29, 2015 - Emerson, NE - 53 year old Todd A. Martin was a long time independent farmer. He was found deceased inside a grain bin. Details to how or why he was in the bin are unknown.

June 29, 2015 - Granite Falls, NC - 55 year old Steven George Dolgas died on the job after being struck by a forklift he had been operating at Jordan-Holman Company. While there were no witnesses, authorities say the lift was moving backwards when it struck Dolgas.

June 29, 2015 - Ball Ground, GA - 22 year old Thomas Williams of Tennille was working to install a new roof on a new building for Custom Floral Design when he fell to his death. He apparently fell through insulation. It is not clear who he was employed by.

June 30, 2015 - Plymouth, MA - 66 year old Charles Pace of Whitman was operating a front end loader when a 150 ft wall of sand collapsed and buried him and the machine. It was ten minutes before another worker found him. He died on the scene. He was working for P.A. Landers Construction Company.

June 30, 2015 - Bacliff, TX - 20 year old Edson Alaniz Manzano was killed on the job when he was struck by a semi truck driver. He was weed-eating along a highway when a semi failed to negotiate a curve and ran off the side, striking Manzano. He was employed by BIO Landscape Company.

June 30, 2015 - Great Bend, KS - A 30 year old unidentified man who was working in a Kansas oil field was found unresponsive in the afternoon heat. He was a member of a three-employee crew moving pipe and tubing at the site and was employed by Klima Well Services, Inc. Attempts to locate his name have been unsuccessful.

Today's post is a listing of workers lost on the job in June 2015 that we previously did not have information for.
If we can be of any help to family or friends, please contact us.

Maintenance Worker Trapped Under ATV

June 1 - Murfreesboro, TN - 24 year old Cody Ryan Thorp was a ground maintenance worker for Thor Sport Farm in Murfreesboro. He was operating an ATV when it flipped and pinned him under the machine.

Nursery Worker Dies in Fall From Tractor

June 1 - Oxnard, CA - Soledad Villanueva was operating a tractor for Skyline Flowers in Oxnard. He died on the job when he fell from the tractor.

AAA Subcontractor Stabbed in Random Attack

June 2 - Pico Rivera, CA - Raymond A. Zabala III was working to help his mother with a dead battery when a transient randomly attacked him with a knife. He was stabbed in the neck. He was an employee for Petra Towing, Inc.

Street Sweeper Driver Killed in Crash

July 3 - Randlett, UT - 25 year old Steven Chet Goodrich of Bluebell was driving a street sweeper vehicle when it was struck from behind by an SUV. The impact of that event pushed the street sweeper off the road and into a ditch where it rolled and Goodrich was partially ejected. He was an employee for Staker & Parson Co. of Randlett.

Worker Crushed Under Mower

June 3 - Concepcion, TX - Nicolas Garza was working for Sorgente Ranch Properties Ltd when he died on the job after being crushed under a mower he was operating. No further information is known.

Construction Worker Dies From Fall

June 3 - Syracuse, NY - Michael DeFio was killed on the job when he fell from a ladder-jack scaffold that he was working from. He was an employee for S.G.V. General Contractor.

Worker Dies During Museum Construction

June 3 - Washington, DC - 35 year old Ivan Smyntyna of Roswell, GA was working at a construction site for the new National African American History Museum in DC. He was crushed between a block wall and a falling counterweight of a suspension scaffold. He was employed by Miller-Clapperton Partnership, Inc. of Washington, DC.

Guam Worker Crushed

June 4 - Tamuning, Guam - An unidentified worker was fatally crushed by marble slabs that shifted in a container during loading.

Worker Drowns in Pool

June 4 - El Paso, TX - An unidentified employee for Ricardo Gonzalez drowned after falling into a swimming pool.

Electrician Touches Live Wires

June 4 - Heath, OH - 24 year old James "Jimmy" Wolfe Jr. of Newark was workingon a junction box from a scissor lift when he was electrocuted after coming into contact with the electrified wires. He was an employee for Weekley Electric, LLC of Heath.

Maintenance Worker Electrocuted

June 4 - Bossier City, LA - 26 year old Demarcus Hall was working at the Alexis Park Apartment complex when he was fatally electrocuted. He was conducting maintenance to a flagpole at the entrance of the apartment complex. He was apparently electrocuted when the flagpole touched a neighboring power line. He was employed by Fairfield Property Management of Bossier City.

Demolition Worker Dies on Job

June 4 - Edelstein, IL - 59 year old Edward Hartwig of Henry had been hired by a property owner to demolish a house and dig out the basement. He was found dead on an incline of the property with a jack-knifed truck and trailer nearby with its engine running. An excavator was also found nearby. He suffered head trauma but the circumstances are unknown. He was self employed by Ed Hartwig Trucking and Excavation Inc.

Bakery Worker Suffers Fatal Burns

June 4 - Lewisville, TX - 50 year old Cardell Anthony Randle of Dallas died on the job after he was burned by scalding water. It is not known how he was burned. He was employed by Bakery Express.

Helicopter Incident Kills Man

June 5 - Hudson, IA - 51 year old Jeffrey Lee Graham of Waverly was performing maintenance on a stationary helicopter near a farm in Hudson when something went very wrong. He was working on the tail rotor when the rotating rotor struck him. He was an experienced pilot and employed by Ritel Copter Service, Inc.

Worker Struck by Train

June 5 - Colt's Neck, NJ - An unidentified employee of the Navel Weapons Station Earl was killed on the job when he was struck by a train. No further information was found.

Worker Falls From Crane

June 5 - Chattanooga, TN - 64 year old Richard Randolf "Randy" Daughtery Sr. was a crane operator for Jake Marshall Company. He died on the job when, for an unknown reason, fell from the crane.

Dairy Worker Thrown into Pond

June 5 - Okeechobee, FL - 18 year old Gilberto Cax-Chiliel was most likely unable to swim when he was thrown into a pond. He had been riding a horse at C & M Rucks Dairy when he was thrown off the horse and into the pond.

Man Electrocuted on Job

June 6 - Santa Maria, CA - 21 year old Cesar "Toker" Montelongo-Pulido was an employee for M&W Pumps in Santa Maria. He was fatally electrocuted when he came into contact with power lines.

Worker Struck by Semi

June 7 - Springfield, OH - Daniel Walker was killed on the job when he was struck by a semi truck. He was employed John R. Jurgensen Co. Further information was not found.

Worker Drowns When Mower Enters Lake

June 7 - Vero Beach, FL - Antonio Gasper was operating a riding lawn mower for Austin Outdoor LLC when the machine slid into a lake. Gasper was unable to get out of the water.

Farm Worker Dies in Silo

June 8 - Mansfield, PA - 26 year old Jason Andrew Kingsley of Mainesburg was asphyxiated when he fell into a silo. He and another man were working near four covered silos holding grass silage at Gor Wood D Holsteins Farm. They were at the top of one of them trying to unplug an air cleaner used to improve air quality in the silo when both men slipped into the silo. Kingsley struck his head causing him to fall the furthest.

Employee Dies in Fall

June 8 - Homestead, FL - An unidentified employee for Commercial Cool-Temp Corp. died on the job when he fell from an elevation while welding.

Construction Site Death

June 9 - Old Forge, PA - 62 year old Robert Ream was working on a construction paving project when he was killed on the job. He was struck by a milling machine during the road construction. He was employed by E.J. Breneman L.P. in Old Forge.

Worker Falls From Roof

June 9 - Bonne Terre, MO - Delfino Ramirez died on the job when he fell from a roof while working for Williams Contractors LLC.

Fall From Roof Kills Worker

June 9 - Salem, VA - An unidentified worker fell to his death from a roof while working for Amos Roofing.

Construction Worker Dies in Fall

June 10 - Fayetteville, GA - An unidentified construction worker at a residential site was killed on the job when he fell from an unknown elevation.

ATV Collision Causes Death of Worker

June 10 - Madera, CA - 19 year old Isaac Rey Barrientos was a farm hand when he was killed in an ATV collision. It is not clear how the incident took place. He was working for Lion Farms.

Worker Electrocuted

June 10 - Buffalo, TX - Charlie Crownover was an employee for BRG Energy, Inc. of Buffalo when he was electrocuted as a forklift boom contacted an energized power line. No further details are known.

Logger Struck by Machinery

June 11 - Deary, ID - Douglas Cook was working at a logging site near Deary when hew as killed on the job. He was struck by the carriage of a line machine. He was employed by Pine Creek Logging, LLC.

Man Struck by Car

June 11 - Cucamonga, CA - Charles Hinz was killed on the job when he was struck by a car. It is not known the nature of his job but he was employed by AFS Investments, LLC of Cucamonga.

We hope by writing this blog we are able to bring about awareness to the number of worker deaths suffered in the United States. We know this is not a comprehensive list but several people corroborate to find all those we can. Our hearts and thoughts go to the family members who have lost a loved one.

Worker Struck by Winch

June 24, 1015 - Victorville, CA - 38 year old David Padilla was killed on the job when the 25-ton winch he was operating malfunctioned, catapulting him and the winch across a shored pit. He and other workers were removing a large piece of a micro-tunneling machine from a tunnel when the winch being operated by Padilla broke loose. It appears he was employed by Foxfire Contractors who were working on the Upper Narrows Pipeline Replacement Project near Victorville for the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority.

Oil Field Worker Dies Due to Heat

June 30, 2015 - Great Bend, KS - 30 year old Travis Underwood was an employee of Klima Well Service Inc., an oil field pumping unit service, who was performing oil field re-work at an existing oil well site. He was part of a three man crew at the site moving tubing and pipe when he was discovered unresponsive on a hot day.

Trench Collapse Claims Life

June 30, 2015 - Fritch, TX - 30 year old Juan Casteneda was a worker on a crew building a new location for the Allsups chain of gas stations and convenience stores installing fuel tanks. He died in a trench collapse when the dirt walls collapsed bringing the fuel tanks down with them.

Man Buried in Trench Collapse

July 1, 2015 - Apple Valley, MN - 51 year old Gerald Lyle Thompson was working with his brother to install drain tiles at a lot in Apple Valley when the wet sides of the trench he was in collapsed around him up to his shoulders. The weight of the wet soil was so much that he was unable to breath. He and his brother worked for DSM Excavation.

Father and Son Die at Farm

July 2, 2015 - Woodmohr, WI - 47 year old Rodney "Ram" Seibel and his 21 year old son Jeremy Seibel both died on their family farm after being exposed to toxic fumes in a manure tank. According to witnesses, Rodney climbed down a four foot ladder into the manure pit to try to retrieve a wheel that had broken off a manure conveyor. He was quickly overcome by the manure gasses. Jeremy then climbed down to try to save his father but was also overcome by the poisonous gasses.

Construction Worker Shot on Jobsite

July 2, 2015 - New Orleans, LA - A 22 year old unidentified man, who was working on a home construction project, was shot while working for an unknown reason.

Farm Incident Claims Life

July 5, 2015 - Springfield, NE - 72 year old Jerry Norris was using a farm tractor for mowing on the day he died. He had not been seen in several hours so a neighbor went looking for him and found him lying in the field. It appears he fell from the tractor and was then run over.

Worker Struck by Heavy Equipment

July 7, 2015 - Lancaster, PA - 59 year old Bruce Hardy of Bainbridge was working at the Holtwood Dam when he was struck by a piece of construction equipment. Others were attempting to free a loader on a steep bank. Another piece of heavy equipment was brought over in an attempt to free the loader and that is what struck and killed Hardy. He was employed by Walsh Construction.

Trench Collapse at Bridge Construction Kills One

July 7, 2015 - Millville, PA - 37 year old Richard Gold of Unityville was working at a construction site repairing a bridge over Little Fishing Creek near Millville. He was working with a crew from Susquehanna Supply, drilling asphalt and Gold was down in a trench cleaning mud off the wall. The embankment collapsed suddenly, pinning him to the opposite wall of the trench.

Robotic Machinery Kills Worker

July 7, 2015 - Grand Rapids, MI - 57 year old Wanda Jean Holbrook worked in the maintenance department for Ventra Ioia Main, which produces automotive bumpers, trailer hitches and chrome-plated plastics, for 12 years. Many of the machines in the plant are robotic. Holbrook was trapped by one of those robotic machines, but it is unclear how.

Man Dies During Renovation Project

June 7, 2015 - Winston-Salem, NC - 65 year old Dennis Michael Laney of Chester, SC was working on a renovation project in the Wake Forrest Innovation Quarter. Circumstances on how he died are unclear but it involved a cherry picker that he was operating near a walkway. He was an employee of Bonitz Contracting Co. of Concord, a sub-contractor for Whiting Turner.

Corrections Officer Dies From Fall

July 7, 2015 - Trion, GA - 50 year old Dale Mitchell of Summerville was a 25-year Corrections Officer at Hays State Prison. He died on the job due to a fall. He was performing some maintenance and was knocked off a mechanical cart by a ladder. Further details are not known.

Man Dies in Fall

July 8, 2015 - Danville, PA - 48 year old Stephen Kuchka of Berwick was getting ready to take lunch with his coworkers when he fell from scaffolding as they were lowering it. It had been raised to nine and a half stories. He was working on restoring yellow brick on the western side of the Foss Clinic at Geisinger Medical Center. His employer was Masonry Preservation Services.

Fall From Scaffolding Causes Death

June 8, 2015 - Walker, MI - 53 year old Michael Bloom of Kentwood had worked for Profile Industrial Packaging for about 17 years. He died from injuries due to a fall from scaffolding. According to a relative there was plywood being used on the scaffold but it had a gap between pieces and it was not properly anchored to the scaffold. The scaffold was being used for construction in the facility and was about 20 feet high.

Man Trapped in Burning Semi Trailer

July 9, 2015 - Forsyth County, NC - An unidentified construction worker was killed on the job when he was trapped in a semi trailer that started on fire. He was unloading a delivery of pine straw, pushing it towards the trailer doors, when a spark caught the straw on fire. Further attempts to locate his name were unsuccessful.

Man Falls at Construction Site

July 10, 2015 - Jordan, MN - 69 year old John Albert Dickerman of Mankato came out of retirement, temporarily, to help a contractor on a construction project. He was working with a crew from a Mankato contractor, R.L. Wells Construction, installing trussing for a roof at a height of roughly 25 to 30 feet when he fell to his death. How or why he fell is unknown.

Tow Truck Driver Hit by Car

July 10, 2015 - Port Arthur, TX - 35 year old Frank Amerson was working with a disabled vehicle along the interstate when he was struck by a car. Dozens of fellow wrecker drivers came out a few days after his death to give honor to one of their own. He was an employee for SWAT Towing & Recovery.

Construction Worker Struck by Heavy Equipment

July 13, 2015 - Saginaw, MI - 40 year old Jason Robert Schwartzly was rearranging gravel in a ditch near the campus of Delta College when he was struck by an excavator. The excavator was dumping gravel into the ditch when it slid down the side and struck Schwartzly. He was employed by Bourdow Construction.

Farm Worker Falls From Platform

July 14, 2015 - Vicksburg, MI - 31 year old Marcos Fonseca of Marcellus was killed on the job when he fell from an elevated area. Fonseca was looking at an office area of a mill that is under construction. As he left the office area he stepped down onto a lower platform and fell about 15 feet. He was an employee of H & H Grain and Feed, Inc.

Young Public Works Employee Struck by Garbage Truck

July 14, 2015 - Nashville, TN - 19 year old Chandler Harris was riding on the back of a garbage truck when the truck got too close to the wall near the Christian Life Center and pinned him in between the truck and the wall. He then fell to the ground and was run over by the truck. The driver was unaware that Harris had fallen from the back. He was a Tennessee Public Works employee.

Highway Worker Struck by Motorist

July 14, 2015 - Merrill, WI - 50 year old Marcus Wydeven of Tomahawk was a 20 year employee of Lincoln County Highway Department. He was flagging traffic at a work site when an elderly motorist lost control of her car. She struck Wydeven before leaving the road and flipping her car.

Our hearts go out to the families who have had to endure the loss of a loved one. If we can be of help to you in any way, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Worker Crushed Under Heavy Equipment

June 11, 2015 - Huger, SC - 44 year old Francisco "Cisco" Agbunag of Goose Creek was killed on the job when a piece of equipment fell and struck him. He was an employee for Huger Nucor Steel plant in Huger.

Man Shot to Death at Work

July 15, 2015 - St. John, IN - 58 year old Christopher Badten of Dyer reported for work at Eagle Creek Machining Company as usual along with a coworker. For some unknown reason, the owner's son who was not an employee, showed up at the business and had an argument and altercation with Badten. The owner went to call authorities when he heard a gunshot and discovered Badten had been shot. The son was arrested and charged with Badten's murder.

Prison Guard Assaulted by Inmate

July 15, 2015 - New Boston, TX - 47 year old Timothy Allen Davison of Simms was a prison guard at the Telfor Unit (prison) for the Department of Criminal Justice when he was attacked by an inmate who he was escorting back to his cell. Somehow the inmate was able to obtain an iron bar and beat Davison to death. The inmate was charged with Davison's murder.

Forklift Operator Falls From Dock

July 15, 2015 - Pontoon Beach, IL - 19 year old Zachary M. Boland died on the job when the forklift he was operating fell backwards and he struck his head. He was using a forklift to load appliances onto a truck. At some point the truck's driver thought it was full and started to drive away which caused the forklift to fall backwards. As the forklift fell he struck his head on the door plate of the loading dock. He was employed by Saddle Creek Corporation.

Exploding Tire Strikes Worker

July 15, 2015 - Frederick, CO - 21 year old Eric Hayden Marshall of Dacono was an employee for B.K. Tire, Inc. and was filling a semi trailer tire when a failure occurred. As he inflated the tire he was struck by the tire and rim as it came apart, knocking him back about 15 feet. Investigators found a broken air chuck next to the tire and some 'blemishes' on pieces of the tire.

Construction Machinery Rolls, Crushes Man

July 15, 2015 - Dickenson, ND - 23 year old Alex Lee of Conway, AR was operating a construction packer machine for a street project when the packer slid down an embankment, rolled on him. He was employed by John T. Jones Construction out of Fargo, ND.

July 16, 2015 - Fallen Hero's Remembered

On July 16 four American Service men were killed during an attack by a radical terrorist on the combined Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center on Amnicola Highway. One Navy Petty Officer was fighting for his life but succumbed to his injuries on July 18.

21 year old Marine Lance Cpl Squire "Skip" Wells of Cobb, GA

40 year old Marine Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan of Hampden, MA

35 year old Marine Staff Sgt. David Wyatt of Hixson, TN

25 year old Marine Sgt. Carson Holmquist of Jacksonville, NC

24 year old Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith of Chattanooga, TN

Towboat Hits Scaffolding, Worker Falls

July 16, 2015 - St. Louis, MO - 24 year old James "Jimmy" Pigue of Dittmer was working with a painting crew on the Eads Bridge when a towboat got off course and struck scaffolding he was standing on. The captain realized he was not lined up correctly and antennas and equipment on the top of the pilothouse struck scaffolding suspended from the bridge. Part of the scaffolding was torn away causing Pigue to fall onto the deck of the towboat. He was employed by Thomas Industrial of Pevely.

Fiery Crash Kills Trucker

July 16, 2015 - Bushnell, NE - 43 year old Joseph Douglas Geeting of Rock Falls, IL was a tractor trailer semi driver and died in a fiery crash in Nebraska. Authorities say the truck struck a rock embankment and burst into fire. His passenger was taken to an area hospital in fair condition. He was employed by Ice Cold Trucking out of Deer Grove, IL.

Single Vehicle Crashes, Kills One

July 17, 2015 - Williamsport, PA - 53 year old Christopher Kerns of Linden was driving a PennDOT truck, with four other employees, to open a new driver's license center in Towanda. Kerns lost control of the vehicle around a curve causing it to strike a reflector pole and guard rail. The other workers were injured but okay.

Worker Struck by Falling Tree

July 17, 2015 - Sandlick, KY - 19 year old Zachary Archelis Adams was working with an unnamed crew cutting trees when one fell onto him. It is unknown who he was employed by.

United Support and Memorial for Workplace Fatalities - USMWF - is a compassionate group of individuals from all around the country who knows first hand the devastation of losing a loved one from a work related incident. We have come together, joined our resources, to help anyone who is now facing a loss. We are here to listen, to help, and to allow you a voice. Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Wall Collapse Crushes Owner

July 10, 2015 - Longview, WA - 70 year old John Leber was the owner of Swanson Bark & Wood Products, Inc. and was doing some construction work at his business when he was injured in a wall collapse. On June 17, he was crushed under 3600 pounds of eco-block that fell onto the lower part of his body. He died nearly a month later at hospital.

Airline Technician Stabbed by Co-Worker

July 15, 2015 - Phoenix, AZ - 34 year old Eric Kunins of Maricopa is being remembered by family and friends as a good, funny and kooky young man. Kunins was a flight simulator technician for US Airways, Jeffrey D. McClelland Flight Center in Phoenix when he was assaulted and stabbed to death by a co-worker. At this time, no arrest of the co-worker has been made.

Oil Field Worker Dies From Fall

July 17, 2015 - Bakersfield, CA - 29 year old Bernardo "Benny" Morales, Jr. of Bakersfield died on the job when he fell from an oil pumping unit. He suffered head trauma. His employer is not listed.

Carwash Customer Runs Into Employee

July 19, 2015 - Malden, MA - 28 year old Jose Tobias-Valle of Everett died at an area hospital after he was struck by a vehicle. He was an employee for Sonny's Car Wash in Malden when a vehicle that was exiting a car wash bay ran into him. At this time, the driver of the vehicle has not been arrested.

Business Owner Crushed by Gate

July 19, 2015 - Commerce, IL - An unidentified 63 year old woman was found crushed in the parking lot gate of her business. An employee discovered her as they were reporting for work at the tool and die shop. It appears the woman had reached through the chain link fence gate with her keys and somehow became pinned between the moving gate and the fixed portion of the fence near the electrical box. Her personal vehicle was found with the door open and running nearby. Attempts to local her name have been unsuccessful.

Worker Pinned by Equipment

July 20, 2015 - Elk Grove Village, IL - 22 year old Daniel Blatz of West Dundee died on the job while unloading a truck at Works Electronics Services in Elk Grove Village. He was operating a forklift to unload the truck and somehow became pinned between the vehicle and the loading dock.

Farmer Struck by Heavy Equipment

July 21, 2015 - Pine River, MI - 46 year old William "Billy" Courter of Alma was doing maintenance work on a barn when he was struck by an unmanned bull dozer.

Officer Killed During Traffic Stop

July 22, 2015 - Hayward, CA - 48 year old Sergeant Scott Lunger, a member of the Hayward Police Department, was killed on the job during a routine trouble call. Lunger and his partner were reporting to the scene of a call about a vehicle spinning “doughnuts” on the street. Witnesses said someone in a white truck opened fire on the officers as they approached it and the officers fired back. Lunger was struck during the shoot out. A suspect was arrested after he checked into a hospital with gunshot wounds.

Restaurant Employee Shot in Alley

July 22, 2015 - Jacksonville, FL - 20 year old Daniel Eugene Rowe was a father of two and expecting a third child and road his bike to work at the Blind Rabbit restaurant. He was taking out the trash in the back of the restaurant when he was approached by possibly two assailants who shot him twice in the head for no apparent reason.

Farmer Trapped in Machinery

July 22, 2015 - Independence, MN - 62 year old Mark Douglas McCulley was a well known and respected farmer who was killed in an incident on his farm. He was using a combine in an oat field when he somehow became trapped in the auger head of his combine.

Worker Struck by Fallen Tree

July 23, 2015 - Knoxville, TN - An unidentified man was killed on the job when he was struck by a tree. He was part of a tree trimming and cutting crew subcontracted by the Knoxville Utilities Board. The name of his employer is not known.

Power Pole Strikes Worker

July 24, 2015 - Helena, MT - 59 year old Robert "Bob" Foster Mitschke died from injuries he received on the job when a utility pole fell onto him. He was working with a Northwest Energy crew repairing a damaged power pole when the incident happened. He was a lineman and in the meter department for Northwest Energy and had a long career with Montana Power Company.

Iron Worker Falls to His Death

July 24, 2015 - Boston, MA - 54 year old Lawrence Patrick O'Leary of Seymour, CT was injured in a fall on a construction project at Logan Airport on July 10. He was an Iron Worker and was working on a parking garage under construction at the airport. He was attempting to secure a 32 ton panel of concrete being hoisted by a crane to the third level when he fell some 40 feet. He was an employee for Blakeslee Pretest, Inc. working under the General Contractor Turner Construction.

Drunk Driver Kills Road Worker

July 24, 2015 - Jacksonville, NC - 57 year old Jesus Morales was working with others to set up construction cones when a drunk driver plowed into him and his two co-workers who were injured. The Onslow Grading & Paving crew were preparing to do maintenance on a roadway. The man who killed Morales has been arrested.

Farmer Struck by Tractor-Trailer

July 24, 2015 - Du Bois, IL - 75 year old Alan Ray Bowers, a local farmer, was driving his John Deere tractor partially on the right shoulder of a road when a tractor trailer driver, who did not see him in time, ran into the back of the tractor. Bowers was thrown from the tractor and landed in the roadway. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Mower Overturns, Traps Worker

July 24, 2015 - Hebron, KY - An unidentified 23 year old landscaper from Florence was killed when the mower he was operating overturned onto him. Friends dropped him off for work near a pump station and when they returned for him found him under the machine. He was an employee for T.R. Gear Landscaping of Fairfield, OH.

For those who may not know about USMWF, we are a group of individuals, family members, who have also suffered the loss of a loved one at work. If we can help you in any way, using the resources we have, please let us know.

Construction Worker Dies in Fall

July 22, 2015 - Vance, AL - 53 year old Jeffery Grey Merchant of Reform died on the job when he fell off a roof at a construction site at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance. It appears he was working on a metal roof for the Hazmat building under construction when he fell 25 feet, hit a concrete slab and died on the scene. It is not known who he was employed by.

Lineman Electrocuted

July 23, 2015 - Spring Lake, NC - 47 year old Mitchell Williams of Godwin was working with a crew to move power lines to accommodate the wideningh of a road way. He was working from an elevated bucket to reconnect a transformer when he was electrocuted. His co-workers quickly cut power and lowered the bucket. He was an employee for Lee Electrical Construction.

Contractor is Electrocuted at Steel Plant

June 23, 2015 - Ashland, KY - 47 year old Dwayne Eugene Walters of Hico, WV was a Seimens contractor at the AK Steel Ashland Works performing specialized electrical tests at the plant when he came into contact with a live wire and was electrocuted.

EMT is Killed in Crash

July 25, 2015 - East Brunswick, NJ - 22 year old Hinal Patel of Piscataway was working her last shift as an EMT before starting graduate medical school. The North Stelton Volunteer Fire Company EMT was responding to a call to East Brunswick when a car sped through an intersection, crashing into and causing the ambulance she was in to overturn.

Father & Son Farmers Die of Exposure

July 25, 2015 - Cylinder, IA - 58 year old Eugene "Gene" Opheim (photo left) and his son, 32 year old Austin Opheim were working on the family farm when a terrible incident took both of their lives. The men were repairing a piece of farm equipment when a piece of it fell into a pig manure pit. Austin attempted to retrieve it but was quickly overcome by the toxic fumes. Gene then attempted to rescue his son but was also overcome by the fumes inside the pit.

Steel Plant Employee Crushed

July 25, 2015 - Huger, SC - 41 year old Lisandro Carlo Triulzi of Spring, TX was working at the Huger Nucor Steel Plant when he was crushed between two pieces of moving equipment. Details were not given as to how or why he was pinned by the equipment.

Heart Condition Contributes to Death

July 29, 2015 - Staten Island, NY - 37 year old Sgt. Frank Musella was a sanitation enforcement officer for the Department of Sanitation when his heart problem caused his death. He had been on patrol, returning to his work location. He went out to his city car and was later found unresponsive in the vehicle. It was determined that he died of heart disease.

Man Killed in Wood Chipper Incident

July 29, 2015 - Davenport, IA - 28 year old Byron Mayeux of Milan was an employee for an unnamed tree service company that was hired to clear brush from a residential property. Details are not clear but he died after being pulled into a wood chipper.

Man Dies After Toxic Exposure

July 29, 2015 - Cleveland, OH - An unidentified worker died on the job after being exposed to toxic fumes while refinishing a bathtub.

Worker Dies Falling From Bucket

July 30, 2015 - Northampton, PA - 42 year old Rodney Hunsicker, Jr. of Lehighton died after he was ejected from a elevated bucket while working for Rick's Tree Service of Ivyland. He had attached a cut limb to the boom and moved it from the back yard to the street. The weight of the limb caused the bucket to overturn ejecting him and then he was struck by the boom.

Man Dies in Dorm Fire

July 30, 2015 - Jackson Hole, WY - 28 year old Anthony Graviano died of smoke inhalation and four others were injured when a fire broke out in a dorm room in Colter Bay in the Grand Teton National Park. It is not known where Graviano called home but some say Florida or Pennsylvania. Attempts to locate that information has been unsuccessful. He was an employee for the Grand Teton Lodge Company.

Man Crushed by Dump Truck

July 30, 2015 - Kenner, LA - 63 year old Albert Brooks of Metairie was killed on the job while working on a dump truck with the bed lifted. Reports state that a support for the lift broke causing the bed to fall down on him. He was working for Bennet Trucking of Kenner at the time of his death.

Sewer Worker Dies in Trench

July 31, 2015 - Longmeadow, MA - 28 year old Davide Santos Nascimento of Ludlow was working with a crew on a sewer replacement project in Longmeadow when a water main broke and filled the trench he was working in. He was employed with A. Martins & Sons, a subcontractor for Longmeadow Public Works at the time of his death.

Fireworks Explosion Kills One

July 31, 2015 - Palo Duro State Park, Canyon, TX - 21 year old Peyton Trueblood of Tuscaloosa, AL was an assistant stage manager for the show "Texas" being performed at the Pioneer Amphitheatre. Trueblood was killed on the job when about 1,600 pounds of fireworks exploded in a storage building. She was certified to handle fireworks used in the production. The Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation was producing the show.

Worker Dies in 30 foot Fall

July 31, 2015 - Greenville, SC - 44 year old Ascension Molina Medina died of blunt force trauma to the chest when he fell from the fourth story of a building under construction. He was wearing a safety harness but reports state he unhooked it to move to another location when he fell. However, that has not been show to be the true cause for his fall. He was working on a mixed used development project called Main + Stone, but his actual employer is not known.

Toll Worker Struck by Vehicle

July 31, 2015 - Auburn, MA - 61 year old Vasilios "Bill" Pappas of Holden was making his way across the Massachusetts Turnpike so he could take a break in the tollbooth building. At other locations he could have used a tunnel to walk safely to the break building but it was not available at his location. As he made his way across the highway, lane by lane, he was struck and killed in the EZ Pass lane. He was a Teamster out of Local 127 working for the MassDOT.

Our thoughts are with all who have been affected by a workplace death of a loved one. We are here to help in any way. Please visit usmwf.org to view our tributes to other lost workers.

Maintenance Worker Found Deceased

July 29, 2015 - Seattle, WA - Benito Rullan was a maintenance mechanic working at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel when he was found collapsed. It was ruled a natural cause death from heart failure.

Construction Worker Falls Through Skylight

August 1, 2015 - Las Vegas, NV - 49 year old Porfirio Gonzalez-Huerta was on the construction site of a new charter school when he fell to his death. He was a plumber for an unnamed company working on drains and air conditioning units when he fell through a skylight, striking his head on the ground.

Firefighter Caught in Blaze

August 1, 2015 - Modoc National Forest, CA - 38 year old David "Dave" John Ruhl from Rapid City, SD was a firefighter for the Black Hills National Forest who was killed on the job while battling a forest fire in California. He was on voluntary assignment to help fight the "Frog Blaze" in the Modoc National Forest near Alturas, CA. He was scouting the fire zone in a vehicle on a forest road when he the blaze suddenly grew and trapped him.

Allergic Reaction Causes Worker's Death

August 3, 2015 - Riverside, CA - 49 year old Douglas Queen of Los Angeles was working with a crew that was grading a space for a new parking lot and, unbeknownst to them, they ran their blade over an underground sprinkler box that housed this hive of bees. The bees swarmed and stung three workers, causing a deadly allergic reaction in Queen. He was employed by JDI Electrical Solutions of Perris.

Man Buried Under Heavy Equipment

August 3, 2015 - New Town, ND - 65 year old William Makela of Harrisville, MI was killed on the job when he was trapped under a piece of heavy equipment. Witnesses said gravel slid off of a pile, knocking him off his feet before burying him under a loader.

Gold Miner Killed in Incident

August 3, 2015 - Elko, NV - 26 year old Jason Potter of Lava Hot Springs, ID was found unresponsive in an underground gold mine he was working in. He had been operating a "jumbo drill" at the SSX Mine near Elko and it is believed he was trying to move the machine. He was found next the drill, which was against the rib wall, the engine running and transmission in reverse gear. It is thought that he was struck by the drill. He was directly employed by Small Mine Development.

Medical Center Employee Dies a Natural Death

August 4, 2015 - Burien, WA - Megersa Kebebe was an employee for Burien Nursing and Rehab who was found slumped in a chair in the break room. It was determined to be a natural death.

Bulldozer Operator Dies in Rollover

August 4, 2015 - Union, PA - 54 year old Ricky L. Dettman of Falls City, NE was a pipeline worker who died on the job when a machine he was operating rolled on top of him. He was operating a dozer on a steep grade when it rolled down the hill, overturning several times before coming to rest right side up. Dettman was part of a construction crew working on a 36-inch natural gas pipeline to take natural gas out of the Utica Shale delivering it to markets around the country. He was employed by a subcontractor for Regency Energy Partners.

Man Dies in Trench Collapse

August 4, 2015 - Parkman Township, OH - 54 year old Thomas Michael Evers died on the job when he was buried in a 10 foot deep trench that collapse. Evers, a road superintendent for Parkman Township, and another worker were in the trench working on a storm drain when the sides collapsed. His co-worker was not injured.

Silo Collapse Buries Worker

August 4, 2015 - Ashburn, VA - 18 year old Daniel Potter of Front Royal was emptying an 80 foot silo containing mineral filler for asphalt when the silo split open sending the material down onto Potter. It took a search team about 11 hours to locate him. Potter was an employee for Luck Stone Leesburg Quarry.

Office Manager Found Deceased

August 5, 2015 - Stanwood, WA - Cynthia Swanberg , the manager of Lake Goodwin RV Park, was found unresponsive in the park's office. It was determined she died of natural causes.

Airmen Die in Mid Air Collision

August 5, 2015 - Valparaiso, FL - 32 year old Tech Sgt.Timothy Alan Officer, Jr. (left)and 35 year old Tech Sgt. Marty Benjamin Bettelyoun, both of Fort Walton Beach, FL, died in a special tactics freefall parachute training incident. Both men were from the 24th Special Operations Wing based in Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, Florida.

Man Crushed to Death

August 5, 2015 - Waycross, GA - 35 year old Concepcion Zacatenco Hernandez Jr. of Douglas was crushed to death in an industrial incident at an asphalt plant. He was performing welding work on an asphalt silo when reports say his safety equipment failed and he was crushed. He was an employee of East Coast Asphalt.

Recycling Worker Struck by Truck

August 6, 2015 - Sun Valley, CA - An unidentified employee for a recycling company was fatally struck by a truck on the job. It is not clear who he worked for and attempts to locate his/her name has been unsuccessful to date.

Angry Mother Kills Social Worker

August 7, 2015 - Barre, VT - 48 year old Lara Sobel was a case worker for the State of Vermont, Dept. of Child and Family Services. She was murdered outside the state offices by a woman who lost custody of her daughter and apparently blamed Sobel for her involvement. The suspect, who had a long history of custody issues, was tackled to the ground by bystanders who watched in horror as Sobel was shot twice. The suspect also murdered her two cousins and their mother due to their involvement in the custody issue.

Our country loses far too many hard working people every day. Our hearts go out to the families who are or have faced a work related tragedy. Please let us know if we can help in any way.

Heat Blamed in Worker's Death

July 19, 2015 - Haltom City, TX - 25 year old Roendy Granillo was found by co-workers passed out at a construction site where they were working. He was transported to an area hospital where he died of heat stroke. His employer is not listed.

Officer Shot During Routine Stop

August 1, 2015 - Memphis, TN - 33 year old Sean Bolton, an officer for the Memphis Police Department, pulled in front of a car that was parked illegally, illuminating the vehicle with his spotlight. Bolton approached the car and was confronted by a passenger. A struggle ensued, ending when the passenger shot Bolton multiple times. Officer Bolton apparently interrupted some sort of drug transaction due to the drug paraphernalia found in the vehicle.

Officer Killed Responding to Call

August 5, 2015 - Shreveport, LA - 29 year old Shreveport Police Officer Thomas Joseph LaValley was dispatched to a house where people alerted him to a man inside who might have a warrant out for his arrest. LaValley was wearing his patrol uniform and after entering the house, told the suspect to show his hands but the man opened fire. He was transported to an area hospital where he died. The suspect was arrested and charged.

Ranch Hand Dies in Crash

August 8, 2015 - Auburn, CA - 50 year old Elder Guerra was a ranch hand on a private ranch on Rincon Way. He was driving an ATV down a steep roadway when he possibly lost control of the vehicle and it overturned down the hill, landing on him. Others on the ranch noticed he was missing and found him during their search. The name of the ranch is unknown.

Firefighter Struck by Falling Tree

August 8, 2015 - Placerville, CA - 21 year old Michael Hallenbeck of Shingle Springs was in his first year as a member of the US Forest Service's Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. It was also the first time he had fought a wild fire. He died on that first day when he was struck by a falling tree while fighting a fire south of Echo Summit in the El Dorado National Forest.

Road Worker Struck by Equipment

August 10, 2015 - Poth, TX - 66 year old Salvador Guillen of New Braunfels was killed on the job during a repaving project near Poth. He was struck by a piece of heavy equipment. He was employed by the New Braunfels based Dean Word Company working with the Texas Department of Transportation.

Man Dies in Vehicle Crash

August 13, 2015 - Carrollton, VA - 50 year old Richard Davis Wilkins of Windsor was killed on the job when his Dominion Power Freightliner truck struck a tree. It is suspected he had a medical event which caused him to drive off the roadway.

Man Dies in Trench Collapse

August 14, 2015 - Fort Dodge, IA - 49 year old William "Butch" Paterson of rural Otho was part of a crew installing sewer line as part of a renovation and expansion project in Fort Dodge when he was buried by about 20 feet of a three foot wide trench collapsed on him. He was employed by Riley-Armstrong Plumbing and Heating.
Authorities do not have a cause for the collapse at this time.

Two Men Die in Construction Incident

August 15, 2015 - Ellicott City, MD - 31 year old Rolando Lopez Mendez of Silver Springs and 31 year old Erik Morales Ortiz of Hyattsville were working from an aerial lift machine on a construction project in Ellicott City. They were both thrown from the bucket of the lift when it tipped over. Both were taken to an area hospital where they were pronounced dead. The men worked for Brothers Construction and Framing.

Workers Exposed to Toxic Chemical, One Dies

August 15, 2015 - Spokane, WA - 44 year old Edward K. Dumaw of Spokane Valley was one of eight workers who were exposed to chlorine gas that was released from a 1-ton cylinder August 12. The cylinder was punctured while crushing it for scrap metal, releasing the gas. Dumaw was the only worker who died from respiratory distress following the exposure. Pacific Steel and Recycling does not accept anything under pressure so they are searching for the person who recycling the cylinder and if they knew what it contained.

Army Golden Knight Dies in Jump

August 16, 2015 - Chicago, IL - 32 year old Sgt. 1st Class Corey Keith Hood of Cincinnati, OH was a seasoned member of the Army Golden Knights parachute team. He died after a mid-air collision at the Chicago Air and Water Show. He was injured August 15 when he collided in midair with a member of the Navy Leap Frogs team during a "bomb burst" movement in which they circle each other as red smoke swirls around them. After the collision and Hood's emergency chute deployed, he clipped a building as he fell.

Mid Air Collision Causes Four Deaths

August 16, 2015 - Otay Mesa, CA - A mid-air collision between a Sabreliner business jet and a light plane on approach to the Brown Field Municipal Airport caused the deaths of four aboard the jet and the pilot of the light plane who was practicing touch and go landings at the airport.
Sixty-six year old James Henry Hale of Adelanto, CA was the co-pilot of the Sabreliner jet and was a contract employee for military contractor BAE Systems. Thirty-four year old John Kovach, 40 year old Carlos Palos and 41 year old Jeff Percy, all of Mojave, CA were all BAE Systems employees who were taking part in a customer training project at the time of the crash.

Worker Dies After Lift Tips Over

August 17, 2015 - Taunton, MA - 48 year old Kevin Miranda of Somerset died on the job when a construction lift he was on tipped over. Miranda was working for the Taunton-based Skyline Contracting and Roofing, which was conducting an inspection on a large smokestack behind an elementary school in Taunton. Miranda was killed when the lift, owned by NES Rentals, tipped over at the work site, which was on a slope.

Worker Dies From Fall

August 17, 2015 - Madison, WI - 25 year old Christopher Michael Lord was set to marry his sweetheart on August 22nd. A week before his marriage he died after falling 60 feet on the construction site of a future apartment building in Madison. Lord had worked as a carpenter for McGann Construction for about three years.

For all who have suffered the loss of a loved one due to a preventable work related incident, we are here to help you in whatever way we can. We are a group of like minded people who have suffered a similar loss so we understand.

Suspected Electrocution in Man's Death

August 18, 2015 - Norfolk, VA - 32 year old Steven "Vance" Weaver of Angier, NC was working on a new Tesla Motors electric supercharger station at the Janaf Shopping Center in Norfolk when he was apparently electrocuted. Emergency personnel responded to a call about an unconscious person and found Weaver. He was working for Next Generation Solutions Inc. out of Clayton, NC. This was his first time working with a charging station.

Tree Care Worker Struck by Branch

August 18, 2015 - Sebastopol, CA - 21 year old David Mendoza of Santa Rosa was killed on the job when he was struck by a falling tree branch. The owner of North Bay Tree Care was up in the tree trimming branches, and Mendoza was on the ground, when he was struck by one of the branches.

Satellite Dish Installer Dies From Fall

August 19, 2015 - Knoxville, TN - 32 year old Brandon Avery Duncan died on the job when he fell from the roof of a private home. He was a satellite dish installer for an unnamed company working to install equipment when the homeowner saw him fall and called for emergency help.

Robbery Probable Motive for Murder

August 20, 2015 - Florissant, MO - 57 year old Alan Roach of St. Louis was a mechanic who was closing up shop when he was confronted by a suspected robber and was shot to death. He was working for Montgomery Auto Parts.

Security Guard Murdered

August 20, 2015 - Manhattan, NY - 53 year old Idrissa Camara was a security guard who offered to work an hour after his shift ended when he was shot to death at close range. Camara was working at a Manhattan federal building when, for an unknown reason or motive, a man who was a government employee walked up to Camara and shot him before committing suicide. He was an employee for FJC Security Services.

Worker Dies of Natural Causes

August 21, 2015 - Reno, NV - Scott "Spoono" Stephenson was a long time staffer with the Burning Man Department of Public Works. He was in the desert, working on the site for Black Rock City, an art and music event when reports state that he died of natural causes.

Man Struck by Falling Tree

August 21, 2015 - Allenville, PA - 21 year old Benuel Swarey was an Old Order Amish logger working for his father when he was struck by a falling tree limb. His father, who owned Pine Hollow Logging, and another man were cutting a tree when a large branch fell.

Worker Dies in Fall

August 21, 2015 - Chesterton, IN - 61 year old Kenneth Gish of Wanatah died in a fall while working at the Burns Harbor ArcelorMittal plant. He was working at the plant's basic oxygen furnace when he fell from scaffolding. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.

Man Dies, Caught in Machinery

August 22, 2015 - Enid, OK - 55 year old Gary Hobbs, a millwright from Canton, TX, was working at a grain elevator leased by Northern Ag Services when he was killed on the job. He was working on some equipment but did not exit in time. He was carried to the top of the conveyor system, where he was crushed.

Woman Dies of Stab Wounds

August 23, Colonie, NY - 32 year old Jacquelyn Porreca of Albany was a hair stylist at Recycled Salon when she was attacked during a robbery attempt at the salon. She was stabbed in the throat and died later at a local hospital.

United Support and Memorial for Workplace Fatalities is a like minded group of people who have all lost someone to a work related incident. We are here to help in any way we can. Look for us on Facebook or our website usmwf.org

DOT Supervisor Struck by Equipment

August 20, 2015 - Missoula, MT - 45 year old Jason Rolls of Helena was working with two other Montana DOT employees on Highway 200, using equipment to mix sand and salt. The equipment wasn’t secured correctly and it gave way. The wheels began to move on the rig while Rolls was still standing nearby.

Wrecker Driver Killed in Crash

August 20, 2015 - Kingfisher, OK - 30 year old David Alan Moore was killed on the job after the wrecker he was driving crashed. The vehicle went off the right side of the road, back onto the roadway and off to the left. The wrecker rolled, stopping in a ditch. He was not wearing a seatbelt. It is unknown who he was employed with.

Sheriff's Deputy Dies After Encounter

August 20, 2015 - Houston, TX - 26 year old Tronski Dontel Jones, a Harris County Sheriff's Deputy, died in the early morning hours of what has been deemed natural causes after dealing with a combative inmate at the Baker Street Jail. The inmate reportedly became argumentative and combative while being moved from one area back to his cell. Sources say that pepper spray used during the altercation may have played a role in the deputy's death. The sheriff says it's impossible to know the exact cause until an autopsy is complete.

Police Officer Struck by Motorist

August 24, 2015 - Bellevontaine, MO - 53 year old Sgt. Peggy Vassallo was an officer for the Bellefontaine Neighbors Police Department. She was on her way to work when she was involved in a two vehicle accident. As she was rendering aid to the other driver, another motorist entered the area at a high rate of speed and as they swerved around Sgt. Vassallo's vehicle, they struck her.

State Trooper Shot During Stop

August 24, 2015 - Lake Charles, LA - 43 year old Steven Vincent, a Senior Trooper with the Louisiana State Troopers was killed on the job when he was shot in the head by someone he felt needed assistance. Trooper Vincent noticed a pickup truck sideways, seemingly stuck in a ditch. As he approached the vehicle, the driver got out with a shotgun and opened fire on the officer. Other motorists who noticed what was going on raced to help and subdued the shooter until police arrived.

Man Dies After Fall From Scaffolding

August 24, 2015 - Fullerton, CA - 29 year old Elman Cano Carranza of Los Angeles died after falling from scaffolding at a construction site in downtown Fullerton. He fell onto construction equipment causing massive internal injuries. He died at a local hospital. His employer is unknown.

Trucker Dies in Crash

August 24, 2015 - Braceville, IL - 37 year old David Lee Conway Jr. of Warrenton, MO was operating his tractor trailer semi when another semi driver attempted to merge back into traffic after having stopped his rig. Conway's semi truck slammed into the back of the other semi, causing him to be ejected and his truck torn apart. Conway was an employee of 5 Star Logistics.

Worker Dies of Burns

August 24, 2015 - Beech Grove, IN - 27 year old Andrew Swanson of Fishers was burned at work on August 22. It is unknown how he was burned. He was working in the diesel department of the Amtrack Beech Grove Facility when the incident occurred. He was taken to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.

IndyCar Race Car Driver Dies

August 24, 2015 - Pocono, PA - 37 year old Justin Wilson, a British race car driver living in Longmont, CO died after being struck by debris during a pile up on the Pocono Raceway track. Wilson was struck in the head by a piece of debris that broke off another driver's car that crashed. Wilson tried to avoid the subsequent pileup, but his car hit the debris and veered into an interior wall. He was airlifted to a hospital where he was in a coma in critical condition before he died. His team's owner is Jeremy Dale in Colorado.

Worker Struck in Construction Incident

August 24, 2015 - Parlin, NJ - An unidentified worker was at the construction site of new homes in Parlin when he was struck by a large piece of equipment. Repeated attempts to locate his name or more information were unsuccessful.

Man Falls Down Elevator Shaft

August 25, 2015 - Manhattan, NY - An unidentified elevator mechanic died on the job when he plunged four stories down a shaft in a Hell’s Kitchen building. Police said he was wearing a hard hat but not a safety harness as he walked across wooden boards four stories up. The beam gave way right over the elevator shaft and he fell into several feet of standing water in the basement of the building.

Two Shot During Live TV Interview

August 26, 2015 - Roanoke, VA - 24 year old Alison Bailey Parker, and 27 year old Adam Ward were employees of WDBJ7 News in Roanoke when they were both gunned down by an angry ex-employee of the station. Parker, a reporter and Ward, her cameraman, were doing a live interview when the man walked up to the pair and began shooting. He also struck the woman being interviewed. The scene was caught on live camera but was quickly cut back to the news anchor.

Worker Dies at Construction Site

August 26, 2015 - Minneapolis, MN - 25 year old Jeramie Gruber of Northfield was working at the US Bank Stadium construction site when he fell to his death. Gruber slid down the roof and broke through a guardrail before falling to an elevated platform below. Another worker was injured in the incident. He was an employee for Berwald Roofing, a subcontractor for Mortensen Construction.

Officer Killed During Domestic Call

August 26, 2015 - Sunset, LA - 51 year old Henry Andrus Nelson, a Corporal with the Sunset Police Department, was shot to death when answering a call for a domestic dispute. He was the first responder to the scene, and police also found three woman who had been stabbed inside the home. One of the women died.

Worker Dies After Fall From Truck

August 26, 2015 - Prescott, WA - Manuel Flores Perez was an employee for Flat Top Ranch when he fell from the back of a moving pickup truck. He complained of knee pain but didn't want medical attention at the time. As he got worse his employer attempted to find treatment for him but was turned away because he was, by then, unconscious. It was later determined that he died of a brain bleed.

Police Officer Murdered in Ambush

August 28, 2015 - Houston, TX - 47 year old Harris County, Texas Sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth was killed on the job when he was ambushed and shot multiple times from behind in an unprovoked attack as he pumped gas into his patrol vehicle while on duty. There is no explanation for his murder but the Sheriff feels the attack was due to the fact Goforth was a law enforcement officer.

State Trooper Killed in Crash

August 28, 2015 - Dardeene, MO - 25 year old James Matthew Bava of Mexico, MO was a Missouri State Patrol officer. He was killed while pursuing a motorcyclist that he had observed committing a traffic violation. It is unclear what caused his patrol vehicle to swerve off the side of the highway where it crashed into trees, overturned, and caught fire.

Motorcycle Officer Dies in Collision

August 28, 2015 - Fenton, MI - 38 year old Chad H. Wolf, a Michigan State Police Trooper died after his motorcycle collided with a car pulling a trailer. Trooper Wolf was crossing over the interstate when the car suddenly switched lanes causing Wolf to be thrown off his bike and he became trapped beneath the empty flatbed as the driver continued onto the interstate. He was dragged approximately four miles before motorists at a rest stop spotted the Trooper under the trailer.

Warehouse Worker Dies in Forklift Incident

August 30, 2015 - Harrisburg, PA - 40 year old James E. Brownawell died on the job as he as moving materials with a forklift at Dayton Parts in Harrisburg. He was operating a forklift to remove bundles of steel from shelving in the warehouse. He removed one bundle but in the process inadvertently dislodged a second bundle, causing it to jut out into the aisle. As he turned his forklift around to proceed down the narrow aisle he apparently didn't see the second bundle sticking out and three sections of steel penetrated his chest.

Worker Killed in Manufacturing Incident

August 31, 2015 - Danville, VA - 56 year old Jeanie Lynn Strader of Chatham was a 15 year associate for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Danville plant at the time of her death. She worked as a windup operator and roll changer at the plant. It is not clear what type of industrial incident occurred to cause her death. She was also a member of U.S.W. Local #831.

Man Falls From Water Tower

August 31, 2015 - Brownsville, TX - 21 year old Pedro Samuel Salazar was performing routine maintenance on a satellite antenna. According to the Brownsville Police Department, "somehow he lost his grip and fell to the ground". It is not known who he was employed by.

Heart Attack Claims Worker

August 31, 2015 - Seattle, WA - James "Twain" Hinderman was a sous chef at the Sorrento Hotel in Seattle when he suffered a fatal heart attack. He was found in the restaurant's cooler by co-workers

Following are workers who we were not previously aware of. Our hearts and thoughts are with the families who have suffered the loss. All listed are for August 2015.

August 1 - Louisville, OH - An unidentified worker was killed on the job after being involved in a motor vehicle collision. The worker was employed by MobilexUSA.

August 3 - Las Vegas, NV - Matthew Hunt was a worker on a bicycle and was killed in a motor vehicle collision. He was employed by Bike Blast Las Vegas.

August 4 - Columbus, OH - Verna Riffle was struck and killed by a dump truck tailgate while employed by Dalton Sealing and Paving.

August 4 - Paragould, AR - An unidentified employee for Wal-mart Distribution Center #6866 died after being crushed between a truck and the loading dock

August 5 - North Fork, CA - John Glenn was an employee for USDA Forest Service (Sierra National Forest) when he was struck and killed by a log while building a corral.

August 5 - Waycross, GA - Javier Avalos was struck and killed by a silo door while working for East Coast Asphalt LLC.

August 6 - Sun Valley, CA - Felimon Yanez-Ancya was an employee for Recology Los Angeles in Sun Valley when he was fatally struck by a truck.

August 7 - Chocowinity, NC - David Partte died on the job after being struck by a large waste container. He was employed by OBI Linings, Inc.

August 7 - Beloit, WI - Phillip Weldon was performing maintenance for his employer Clean Sweep Company when he was struck by a vehicle

August 7 - Carmi, IL - Jetzari Gonzalez and Hector Gonzalez were working for AS Professional Roofing when one was electrocuted and the other was hospitalized when a ladder contacted a power line.

August 7 - Elizabeth, NJ - Judy Jones was killed on the job when she was struck by a top loader machine while working for APM Terminals.

August 8 - Lutz, FL - Michael Casino was an employee for Panera Bread in Lutz when he died in a fall while performing food preparation.

August 9 - Selah, WA - An unidentified worker died after falling down stairs while working for Tree Top, Inc.

August 10 - Columbus, OH - Frank Guy was employed by Scott Wrecking C & D Landfill and died after he was struck by a tractor trailer.

August 10 - West Chester, OH - Keith Walker was killed on the job after falling from a roof while working for R & B Contractors LLC.

August 10 - Hopewell, VA - Ricky Wyche was an employee for Quality Specialties, Inc and died after being exposed to asbestos during abatement activities.

August 10 - Winchester, VA - Boyd Sherman Abell was fatally crushed when an elevated load fell from a forklift. He was employed by National Fruit & Product Co., Inc.

August 10 - Center, VT - Jerry Merrow was an employee for J.E.M. Home Improvements when he died on the job. He was on a roof when his ladder contacted an overhead power line and he was electrocuted.

August 10 - Locust Grove, GA - Nolberto Castro Garcia was killed on the job when the lawnmower he was operating overturned. He was employed by Eagles Brooke Golf Management LLC.

August 11 - Tampa, FL - Darryl Roberts was trimming a tree for Total Scapes, Inc. when he fell from a ladder and died.

August 11 - Woodlawn, IL - Quentin Campbell was an employee for Sawyer Tree Service, LLC when he died on the job after being struck by a falling tree.

August 11 - Itasca, IL - Philip Sanders was working for Liberatore Electric Company when he was electrocuted while working on underground wiring.

August 11 - San Pedro, CA - Rochelle Taylor was working for Eagle Marine Services and died in a collision between a tractor and truck.

August 11 - Pennington, AL - An unidentified employee for Burkes Mechanical, Inc. died of electrocution while hanging cable.

August 12 - Rison, AR - Chad Gaddis was struck and killed by a trailer being lifted by a log loader while working for Tracy Strange Logging.

August 12 - Romney, WV - Mark Haines was an employee for Belt Paving, Inc. when he was fatally crushed under the tracks of a milling machine.

August 13 - Alhambra, IL - An unidentified worker died on the job after falling from scaffolding while working for Walthes Waterproofing.

August 13 - Middleburg, PA - Moses Kanagy was killed on the job when he fell from scaffolding. He was employed by S.R. Silos.

August 13 - Pine Grove, WV - An unidentified employee for Jones Hauling, Inc. was struck and killed by a falling tree.

August 13 - Tyler, AL - An unidentified person died on the job after being struck by a tractor and baler while employed by Gene McCormick.

August 13 - View, CA - Angel Ferreira was trimming a palm tree when the tree collapsed, trapping him. He was employed by Eager Beaver.

August 13 - Massillon, OH - Earl Smoltz was working for Casey's Sales & Services, Inc. when he was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer semi.

August 13 - Revere, MA - An unidentified employee of Caruso Construction and Equipment Company, Inc. was killed on the job when a dump truck tire exploded during inflation.

August 13 - El Paso, TX - Rodolfo Jaquez died on the job after falling from a roof. He was employed by Campos Roofing & Construction LLC.

August 13 - Albany, TX - An unidentified employee for Albany Chemical died after being caught in a pumping unit.

August 14 - Farmers Branch, TX - Pedro Rangel was struck and killed by a forklift while working for Venture Metals, LLC.

August 14 - Edenton, NC - Michael Rogers was working for McClain and Company, Inc. when he drowned after falling from a boat.

August 15 - San Marcos, TX - An unidentified employee of Sawman LLC was fatally electrocuted while repairing a generator.

August 15 - Fort Worth, TX - Emilio Ramirez was killed on the job when he fell from scaffolding inside a water tank. He was employed by Blastco Texas, Inc.

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We strive to honor and remember those workers who have been lost to a workplace incident and their family's as they navigate the many challenges they face. If you would like to connect with like-minded people, who have been in your shoes, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Man Dies of Natural Causes

September 1, 2015 - Snohamish, WA - 75 year old Russell A. Groth was working at the family's business, Wintergreen Tree Farm, when he was found unresponsive after his shift ended by a family member. He had died of a natural cardiac event.

Worker Drowns

September 1, 2015 - Bellevue, WA - 51 year old Phillip Cruz was working alone when his co-workers lost track of him for about 10 minutes. When they found him, he was face down in the bottom of a water filled excavation pit. He was an employee for Bayley Construction.

Officer Dies of Gunshot Wound

September 1, 2015 - Fox Lake, IL - 52 year old Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz had planned to retire from the Fox Lake Police Department in late August, but was asked to stay on another month. While on duty, three men caught his eye and he radioed that he was on foot pursuit. Three minutes later he requested back up but then communication went silent. When back up arrived, they found Lt. Gliniewicz dead from a devastating gunshot wound to the chest. An ongoing investigation is under way by authorities.

Marine Died During Training

September 2, 2015 - Camp Legeune, NC - 31 year old Staff Sgt. Jonathan Lewis, of Fauquier, VA, was a Marine and part of the Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) Company B Marine Corps Security Force Regiment. He died in a hard landing of the Super Stallion Helicopter “while conducting Helicopter Rope Suspension Techniques (HRST) training in a landing zone at Stone Bay,” near Camp Leguene, NC.

Wall Collapse Causes Worker's Death

September 3, 2015 - Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn - 19 year old Fernando Venegas of Corona, Queens was at work at a construction site in Bed-Stuy when something went very wrong. Venegas was killed, and two other workers injured, when an unstable wall at the construction site collapsed. It is unclear who he was employed with.

Contract Worker Struck by Train

September 4, 2015 - Auburn, IN - An unidentified contractor for CSX was struck by a freight train that he did not see coming because it was blocked from view by a standing train. He was in the company of two CSX employees and did not know the other train was approaching, stepped around the standing train and in front of the moving train. Authorities would only say the victim was from Newfoundland in far eastern Canada and was working as part of an electronic rail testing crew.

Woman Dies of Natural Causes

September 4, 2015 - Pascagoula, MS - 53 year old Evelyn Richardson of Moss Point, an employee for Ingalls Shipbuilding, was found dead in her office. Her death was ruled natural causes.

Construction Worker Killed in Fall

September 4, 2015 - Taunton, MA - 24 year old Nicholas Dumont of Pawtucket, RI was working on the construction of a distributing warehouse and corporate facility when he died after falling approximately 40 feet at the site in Taunton. His obituary states that he was employed by MAS Building & Bridge, Inc.

Refinery Worker Drowns

September 5, 2015 - Port Arthur, TX - 66 year old Thomas Courts of Denton was operating a bulldozer inside the Total Port Arthur refinery when the dozer went into a pit filled with a high temperature chemical liquid. A coworker say the incident take place and immediately used his machine to pull the bull dozer from the pit. Courts died of exposure and drowning. He was a Kinder Morgan employee.

Heart Condition Causes Death

September 9, 2015 - Tacoma, WA - Marcus Michelsen was an employee of the payroll office at Pacific Lutheran University when he suffered a medical event while on break. He was taken to an area hospital when he died during surgery.

Power Company Worker Found Dead

September 10, 2015 - Kermit, TX - 49 year old Mark Ochoa was an employee for Oncor, a power company, when he died on the job. He was sent out on a power outage call and when he did not check in or respond to calls, another worker was sent to check on him. That worker found Ochoa unresponsive and pronounced by EMS. His exact cause of death is unknown.

Film Crew Member Dies in Crash

September 11, 2015 - San Francisco de Antioquia, Columbia - 54 year old David Purwin of the Los Angeles, CA area was a stunt pilot in Columbia to help with the filming of a new high action Hollywood film when the unthinkable happened. A small plane being used to transport crew members crashed on take off from a local airport. Another pilot from Columbia also died in the crash and another from Georgia was injured. It is unclear who was piloting the plane at the time of the crash. Purwin was known for his work staging heart-stopping chases for the movies and also flew life saving missions for critically ill children. He was the founder and president of Helinet Technologies.

Worker Dies After Fall

September, 12, 2015 - Stauton, VA - 22 year old Dustin Hamilton Killen of Florence, AL was working on overhead wires in Augusta County when one sprung back and shredded the bucket off his truck, he then fell 83 feet to the ground. He also may have been electrocuted according to authorities. He was a Journeyman Lineman for Irby Construction.

Equipment Malfunction Causes Death, Injury

September 12, 2015 - Tulsa, OK - 43 year old Steve Shelton wasn't afraid of heights and loved working in the air. He worked in the amusement park industry for many years. Shelton and a coworker were in the air inspecting the SkyRide gondola ride at the Tulsa Fair when the bucket they were working from broke loose and fell. Both men were harnessed but Shelton suffered a life threatening head injury. The men worked for DCM Tulsa LLC, the operator of the SkyRide.

Man Dies From Fall

September 14, 2015 - Hyde Park, IL - An unidentified 38 year old man died as a result of falling from the top of a building under construction. Because most of the day's work was being done on the opposite end of the building, authorities said it was not clear if his death as an accident or suicide. It is unclear who he was employed with.

University Professor Murdered on Campus

September 14, 2015 - Cleveland, MS - 39 year old Ethan Andrew Schmidt was a history professor at Delta State University was shot in his office by a colleague at the school. It is unclear why the instructor murdered Schmidt, but it was also discovered he murdered his girlfriend earlier. After the murders, the man later committed suicide rather than be arrested.

Officer Dies Nearly a Year After Shooting

September 14, 2015 - McHenry, IL - 47 year old Dwight Maness, a McHenry Sheriff Deputy, was responding to a domestic dispute call last October 16, 2014 when a man opened fire, hitting the deputy several places. He had multiple surgeries and was feeling good about his recovery when he died during a rehabilitation session. The exact cause of his death is not known.

Road Side Worker Struck by Motorist

September 14, 2015 - Escondido, CA - 21 year old Leonardo "Leo" Sandoval of Murrieta was repairing sprinklers on the roadside when he was struck by a suspected drunk motorist. He worked for Pacific Restoration Group which had recently been contracted by Caltrans to landscape portions of the I-15 freeway.

United Support and Memorial for Workplace Fatalities is a non-profit organization that strives to bring awareness, memorialize the workers who have died on the job and to reach out to family members. Please contact us if we can be of any help to you.

Machinery Mishap Causes Worker's Death

February 28, 2015 - Milwaukee, WI - 33 year old Ryan Calkins of Brookfield was working on the Zoo Interchange Project in Milwaukee when he was killed on the job. Witnesses surmise his death was due to a piece of drilling machinery as they saw rescue personnel and others were gathered around the site. Calkins worked for Michels Corp. working alongside Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Worker Dies in Fall

August 18, 2015 - Henderson, TX - 55year old Arthur Lee Kilgore of Diboll was working to install insulation at a restaurant in Henderson when he fell to his death. The insulation ripped, giving way and causing Kilgore to fall. He was employed by H. L. Nelson Construction.

Man Hit by Vehicle at Distribution Facility

September 15, 2015 - Braintree, MA - 74 year old Kenneth Montgomery was an employee for United Liquor, a distribution facility, when he was struck by a van at the facility.

Safety Officer Struck After Accident

September 15, 2015 - Miami, FL - 47 year old Andres Boligan was at the site of a motor vehicle accident helping to clear it when he was struck by a dump truck. He was a State Farm Safety Officer. The truck driver attempted to brake but the vehicle went out of control. Boligan was wearing a safety vest and his emergency vehicle had its lights on.

Equipment Causes Worker Death

September 16, 2015 - Waco, TX - 51 year old Terry Leon Lakey was crushed by a piece of equipment at the Terex facility he was employed with. He was servicing a hydraulic lift when he was crushed by it. The circumstances are unclear.

Argument Ends in Shooting

September 16, 2015 - Acworth, GA - 43 year old Douglas Bradley Eriquezzo worked at a local auto repair shop when he and another worker got into an argument outside the business. In a case ofworkplace violence, the other man pulled out a gun and shot Eriquezzo. The name of the business is not known.

Construction Worker Killed on Site

September 16, 2015 - Tampa, FL - 26 year old Kimbrough Haines III was working on a road construction project when he was struck by a dump truck. He was standing behind the dump truck when it started to back up. He was employed by Lane Construction.

Worker Suffers Probable Electrocution

September 17, 2015 - 30 year old Robert Ruhtr was working at a school construction site when he waspossibly electrocuted, causing a heart attack. By the time first responders arrived, they found Ruhtr in full cardiac arrest. It is unknown who he was employed by.

Contractor Dies in Fall

September 17, 2015 - Braddock, PA - 44 year old Parrish Sewell ofEast McKeesport was a contract worker performing planned maintenance in a part of the US Steel, Edgar Thomson plant that is used in the basic oxygen steelmaking process. During his work he fell approximately 40 feet. Sewell was employed by Whistler Construction Inc.

Man Dies at Grain Facility

September 17, 2015 - Webberville, MI - 22 year old Joshua McGhee of Petersburg died when a wall collapsed at the Archer Daniels Midland grain storage facility in Webberville. He working as a contractor at the site when a wall collapsed, burying him in tons of grain and debris. His obituary states he worked for a railroad contractor, Industrial Railroad Services.

Tree Trimmer Struck by Car

September 18, 2015 - Santa Ana, CA - An unidentified Latino man died after being struck by a car while setting up safety cones for a tree trimming job.

Railway Incident Causes Death

September 18, 2015 - Ashdown, AR - 51 year old Velma Marie Perkins was a USW Local 1327 member, District 13 Women of Steel activist and a long time employee for Domtar Paper. According to reports high top rail cars beyond the normal size were entering a shed attached to a warehouse. The shed was built over the tracks to do switch engine maintenance with a personnel pit below. Unbeknownst to the crew thecars struck the shed structure resulting in Sister Perkins’ death.

Tree Trimmer Struck by Branch

September 19, 2015 - Amhurst, NY - 39 year old Christopher Gordan of Niagara Falls was a tree service worker working in Amhurst. He was in a tree cutting a large limb when a second limb became dislodged and knocked Gordan out of the tree. It is not known who he was employed by.

Freeway Worker Killed by Driver

September 19, 2015 - Oakland, CA - 33 year old Miguel Angel Rodriguez Delacruz was a construction worker for Caltrans working on a section of interstate when he was struck by a vehicle. According to police, a suspected drunk driver lost control of his vehicle, went across the freeway and into the construction zone, striking Delacruz.

Bouncer Shot by Patron

September 20, 2015 - Kansas City, MO - 46 year old Royce Jeffries was working security at Bob's Bar and Grill, also known as Bobs N Motion, when a fight broke out. Jeffries and another member of security tried to break up the fight and remove those involved from the club. According to reports, one man involved in the altercation returned to the scene with a gun and opened fire, killing Jeffries and wounding two others.

Worker Falls From Roof

September 21, 2015 - Chattanooga, TN - 65 year old Edwin "Earl" Morgan II of Ooltewah spent the majority of his life working in the construction field. On his job at TVA in Chattanooga he saw something that needed to be fixed. He climbed up 20 feet, lost his footing and fell into a culvert. He died later of his injuries. He was employed by Total Building Maintenance.

Young Worker Dies During Construction

September 21, 2015 - Duluth, MN - 18 year old Kelsey Hegenson of Stanley, WI was a part of a construction crew working on the Bong Bridge when he was fatally injured in aforklift incident. Details are unknown. He was employed by Lunda Construction of Black River Falls, WI.

Lawnmower Overturns, Kills Young Man

September 23, 2015 - Swansea, IL - 18 year old Conner Devan LaPointes of New Athens was killed on the job after an incident with a lawnmower he was operating. He had been cutting grass for an unnamed lawn company in-between residences when his co-worker lost track of him. He found the mower upside down in a pond and rescue workers found LaPointes under the mower.

Scrap Yard Worker Killed in Explosion

September 23, 2015 - Tucson, AZ - 46 year old Daniel Wright was killed on the job when an explosion occurred at Tucson Iron & Scrap Yard, which handles recycling materials. Under investigation is how a 500 pound MK-82 military bomb ended up at the scrap yard. When Wright began to cut it when it partially exploded.

EMT Dies in Crash of Ambulance

September 23, 2015 - Bergen, NY - 50 year old Barry Miller was chief of Fire Department Emergency Medical Services for Bergen. He was a passenger aboard an ambulance responding to a call when the ambulance struck the rear of a piece of heavy equipment. Sun glare and fog were contributing factors in the driver not being able to see the backhoe until too late. The driver and a crew member in the back were injured.

Worker Dies of Crushing Injuries

September 23, 2015 - Las Vegas, NV - 27 year old Joshua Richard Meade was a contract worker at UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center. He died of blunt force trauma and traumatic asphyxia when he was struck by a trench plate. A trench plate is a large heavy piece of metal used to cover holes in roads. It is unclear who he was employed with.

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll:Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll:Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace

The Weekly Toll: Death in the American Workplace