Connecticut road worker charged with negligent homicide

Updated Feb 4, 2016

dump truck paver genericA road worker in Tolland, Conn., is facing a negligent homicide with a motor vehicle charge for a workplace accident that led to a coworker’s death.

The Hartford Courant reported that Tolland Public Works employee William Burke turned himself into police on Dec. 15 after he found out a warrant had been issued for his arrest in connection to the March 19, 2015 death.

The 56-year-old Burke was working on filling a pot hole in Tolland when he backed up a dump truck and struck his colleague, David Ridzon.

According to the affidavit, Burke had been working operating dump trucks for the city since 1985. On the day of the accident, Burke had been filling potholes with Ridzon. Burke was backing up to set a pothole patch when he struck Ridzon.

Burke said he saw Ridzon in the passenger side window before he backed up, but he discovered he’d struck his coworker when a witness yelled at the dump truck operator.

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation after the accident found that there were no OSHA violations related to Ridzon’s death.