Modesto Truck Driver Killed in Truck Accident

Chrissie Cole

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A man was killed in a truck accident, on Thursday, when he became pinned between a tomato trailer and his truck, according to authorities.

The man, 51, of Ceres, was an independent contractor who had been hauling tomatoes for Antonini Expressfor the past two seasons, according to the owner.

Firefighters responded to the scene at about 7:35 a.m. and found him wedged between the cab of the tractor and the frame of the truck.

He was likely trapped for about a half-hour before someone noticed and called for help, Patino said. He owned the truck that pinned him and was either picking up or drop- ping off trailers in the yard when the accident occurred, Patino said.

"It appears he got out of the cab and failed to set the brake, or something happened mechanically to cause the truck to roll back and trap him between the tractor and the trailer," Patino said.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. A Cal-OSHA spokeswoman said they will not investigate the accident due to the truck driver being a self employed contractor. Cal-OSHA has jurisdiction only when there is an employee-employer relationship.

For more information on this topic, please visit our section on Truck Accidents.