MAY 9, 2015
MIDWAY AIRPORT, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (CBS)
Police are investigating an incident late Friday night at
Midway Airport in which a baggage handler was killed.
According to police, just after 11 p.m. a man
driving a luggage vehicle near the Southwest Airlines gate area collided with
another luggage hauler and was ejected from the vehicle.
The man was taken to Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn,
Illinois where he was pronounced dead, police said. The medical examiner
identified the victim as 52-year-old Michael Yates of Carol Stream. He is a
former DuPage County sheriff’s deputy who retired last year.
Yates was a Southwest employee, the company confirmed, and a
source said the crash occurred after he had offloaded luggage from a plane.
A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines released a statement
saying, “Our hearts go out to his family during this difficult time. Resources
will be on site to support our Southwest Family at Midway.”
Police are investigating the circumstances and it appears no
one else was injured.