PAINESVILLE, Ohio — A 56-year-old man is dead after what officials are calling a "tragic accident" in Lake County.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office says that a man was struck and killed by a dump truck that was backing up at the Lake County Solid Waste Facility in Painesville Township on Thursday, at around 11:33 a.m. Upon arriving at the scene, deputies discovered a man who was unresponsive on the ground in the area of the property where trucks and heavy machinery offload refuse/waste.
Deputies immediately began CPR on the man until EMS took him to Tri-Point Medical Center in Concord Township. The man died due to his injuries prior to arriving at the hospital.
Initial investigation reveals that the victim was operating a dump truck and was standing outside the truck getting ready to offload a container of garbage.
"Witnesses stated that a gust of wind caused dirt and debris to blow toward the truck, which caused the operator to run from the driver's side toward the passenger side of his truck for cover. At the same time, another dump truck with a roll-off style container bed was backing into the area adjacent to the passenger side of the victim’s truck. The driver did not see the male run behind his vehicle," said the Lake County Sheriff's Office in a statement.
The 56-year-old man was struck by the reversing truck, and it continued to back up until the driver was stopped by a witness on the scene. Sergeant John Kelley of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said the incident is believed to be a "tragic accident."
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration released the following statement to 3News regarding the incident:
"The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is currently on the scene, opening an investigation. OSHA will have six months from the date of the incident to complete its inspection, issue citations and proposed monetary penalties, if violations of safety and or health regulations are found during the inspection."
At this time, the accident is still under investigation.
