Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119722221 - Del Norte County Road Department

Inspection Information - Office: American Canyon District Office

Investigation Summary

A country road crew was cleaning a drainage ditch along a rural road that runs along a river bank. Employee #1 was driving a loaded dump truck, past another dump truck and an excavator, in the outer lane. His truck's front wheel went off the pavement. Instead of stopping, Employee #1 gunned the engine and tried to bring the front wheels back on the road. Instead, the truck's back wheels went off the road and the truck and Employee #1 fell approximately 150 ft to the river's edge. Employee #1 was ejected and died of crushing injuries to his head and chest. It is not known if the functional seat belt had been taken off in an attempt to escape. Wearing a seat belt probably would not have made a difference in this accident.

Keywords: CHEST, EJECTED, EMBANKMENT, HEAD, CRUSHED, DUMP TRUCK, FALL, FALLING OBJECT, LOST CONTROL, TRUCK DRIVER