Haul/Off Road/Coal/Ore/Pit/Quarry/Rock/Rubber Tire Truck Driver

At time of filing it is believed a front-end loader struck the back of the tractor trailer. The position of the victim at the time of the accident is still under investigation. The victim was found under the rear driver's side tires of the tractor.

On March 9, 2023, at 1:55 p.m., Don Reynolds, a 60 year-old delivery truck driver with over five years of delivery truck driving experience, died when a front-end loader struck his truck and trailer. Reynolds was underneath his truck; the impact caused his truck’s left rear dual wheels to roll onto him. The accident occurred because the mine operator did not ensure that the front-end loader operator maintained control of the front-end loader.

1. The mine operator did not ensure that the front-end loader operator maintained control of the front-end loader.

   Corrective action: The mine operator retrained all mobile equipment operators on maintaining line of sight while operating equipment.

Read the full report (PDF)

Findings from MSHA's final investigation report, which supersedes the preliminary narrative above.

Activity at time of incident

Unknown

Subunit / location

STRIP, QUARY, OPEN PIT

Accident type

Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

Source of injury

HGHWY ORE CARIER,LRGE TRK

Nature of injury

CRUSHING

Body part affected

TRUNK, MULTIPLE PARTS

Total mining experience

0 years

Experience at this mine

0 years

Experience in this job

5 years

Degree of injury

FATALITY