Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120314729 - Wildlife Waystation

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:00 p.m. on October 20, 2004, Employee #1, a security guard at an animal shelter for animals such as lions, tigers and bears, was making his rounds. The night before several large rain storms had passed through. Employee #1, a coworker, and the owner were the only ones on the property. The coworker was in the security shack and Employee #1 was using a truck to check on the animals. He was making his rounds during a large rainstorm and was driving on a dirt road leading up to an animal compound. The road dipped and then went up. Based on the investigation of a radio dispatch between Employee #1 and the coworker, Employee #1 made it across the road depression but radioed that there was a lot of mud. He checked the compound and was returning back to the guard shack when he came across the depression again. As he was trying to cross, a flash flood came down with several large boulders and hit his truck. He was spun around until the force of the water broke all the windows out. His body was found about one mile away from where his truck was. Speculation is that when the windows broke, the force of the water carried him out the back window and downhill.

Keywords: STORM, TRUCK, SLIPPERY SURFACE, STRUCK BY, DROWN, SECURITY GUARD, MUD PIT, WATER