UPDATE: The man involved in the fatal accident has been identified as 58-year-old Steven Cox, of Rockville, and was a long-time employee of Hurricane City Public Works.
LAVERKIN – A construction worker was killed Tuesday afternoon in an accident involving a trackhoe.
Around 2 p.m., responders with the LaVerkin Police Department and Hurricane Valley Fire District were dispatched to a park at the corner of 900 North and state Route 17 next to the LaVerkin Creek.
“When we got here, we determined the individual who was marking public utility lines was hit by the trackhoe and subsequently succumbed to his injuries and died,” said LaVerkin Police Chief Benjamin Lee.
The trackhoe was being operated at the time of the incident and the deceased individual happened to be “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Lee said.
The police have determined the incident to be accidental, as there was no indication of malicious intent or impairment found by investigators at the scene. Interviews with witnesses helped lend to the investigators’ preliminary conclusions.
“The (trackhoe) driver had no idea,” Lee said, adding that the man was “pretty shaken up” over the matter.
The man who died was described as a veteran employee of the construction company who had been doing what he’d done for years, and was unfortunately struck by the body of the trackhoe as it spun around.
The name of the deceased is not being released at this time as police are still working to contact family, Lee said.
Washington County Sheriff’s deputies were also on hand to aid with the incident.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Ron Chaffin, St. George News A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Ron Chaffin, St. George News A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Ron Chaffin, St. George News A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Ron Chaffin, St. George News A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Ron Chaffin, St. George News A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News A trackhoe accident at a construction site resulted in a man's death in LaVerkin, Utah, Jan. 3, 2017 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
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Twitter: @MoriKessler
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Hey Mori, it could be more clear to name the piece of equipment as an excavator. While trackhoe can also be used (informally), I think that most readers would be more acquainted with the term excavator.
Yup, never in my life have i heard ‘trackhoe’.
Prayers to the families of all involved