Notes from the Field: Update: Silicosis Mortality — United States, 1999–2013

Weekly

June 19, 2015 / 64(23);653-654

Jacek M. Mazurek, MD1; Patricia L. Schleiff, MS1; John M. Wood, MS1; Scott A. Hendricks, MS2; Ainsley Weston, PhD1 (Author affiliations at end of text)

Silicosis is a potentially fatal but preventable occupational lung disease caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica (silica) (1). 

 Chronic silicosis, the most common form, occurs after exposure to relatively low silica concentrations for >10 years. Accelerated silicosis occurs after 5–10 years of exposure to higher silica levels, and acute silicosis can occur after only weeks or months of exposure to extremely high silica concentrations (1). New national mortality data for silicosis have become available since a previous report on silicosis surveillance was published earlier this year (2). 

CDC reviewed multiple cause-of-death mortality files from the National Center for Health Statistics to analyze deaths from silicosis (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision diagnosis code J62: a pneumoconiosis due to dust containing silica) reported during 1999–2013. 

Each record lists one underlying cause of death (the disease or injury that initiated the chain of events that led directly and inevitably to death), and up to 20 contributing causes of death (other significant conditions contributing to death but not resulting in underlying cause). 

Available death certificates from 35 states were reviewed for the period 2004–2006 to identify occupations associated with silicosis among decedents aged 15–44 years. Results indicate that despite substantial progress in eliminating silicosis, silicosis deaths continue to occur. Of particular concern are silicosis deaths in young adults (aged 15–44 years). 

These young deaths likely reflect higher exposures than those causing chronic silicosis mortality in older persons, some of sufficient magnitude to cause severe disease and death after relatively short periods of exposure. A total of 12 such deaths occurred during 2011–2013, with nine that had silicosis listed as the underlying cause of death.

During 1999–2013, a total of 2,065 decedents had silicosis listed as the underlying or as a contributing cause of death (1,122 [54.3%] decedents had silicosis listed as the underlying cause of death) (Table). 

The annual number of silicosis deaths declined 40% from 185 in 1999 to 111 in 2013 (p-value for trend <0.001), but the decline appears to have leveled off during 2010–2013. The lowest number of silicosis deaths (88) occurred in 2011. Higher numbers of deaths occurred in 2012 (103) and 2013 (111), but remained within the 95% confidence interval predicted by the first-order autoregressive linear regression model used to evaluate trends for 1999–2013. 

Among all silicosis deaths, 47 (2.3%) decedents were aged 15–44 years; of these, 34 (72.3%) had silicosis coded as the underlying cause of death (Table). The annual number of silicosis deaths in persons aged 15–44 years varied and was 4, 0, and 8 in 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively.

Death certificate review identified 62 silicosis deaths, accounting for 13.7% of the 451 reported silicosis deaths during 2004–2006. Of 39 (62.9%) decedents with silicosis listed as the underlying cause of death, three were aged 15–44 years. 

Entries on death certificates of these young decedents related to industry and occupation were classified* as miscellaneous nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing (stationary engineers and boiler operators), construction (brickmasons and blockmasons), and cut stone and stone product manufacturing (crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders). These industries and occupations are well-known for their association with exposure to crystalline silica (1).

Silicosis mortality in the United States has declined over time (2,3). The continuing occurrence of silicosis deaths in young adults and reports of new occupations and tasks that place workers at risk for silicosis, including fabricators and installers of quartz-containing engineered stone products and workers employed to extract natural gas by hydraulic fracturing (4–7), underscore the need for strengthening efforts to limit workplace exposure to crystalline silica. 

Effective silicosis prevention strategies for employers are available from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration† and CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.§ State health departments can strengthen silicosis prevention efforts by identifying silicosis cases through review of state morbidity and mortality data and by investigating the circumstances surrounding silicosis cases.

Acknowledgments

David N. Weissman, MD, Brent Doney, PhD, Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC.
1Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC; 2Division of Safety Research, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC.
Corresponding author: Jacek Mazurek, jmazurek1@cdc.gov, 304-285-5983.

References

1. CDC. NIOSH hazard review. Health effects of occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; 2002. DHHS (NIOSH) publication no. 2002-129. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2002-129/pdfs/2002-129.pdf .
2. Bang KM, Mazurek JM, Wood JM, White GE, Hendricks SA, Weston A. Silicosis mortality trends and new exposures to respirable crystalline silica—United States, 2001–2010. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015;64:117–20.
3. Bang KM, Attfield MD, Wood JM, Syamlal G. National trends in silicosis mortality in the United States, 1981–2004. Am J Ind Med 2008;51:633–9.
4. CDC. Silicosis in dental laboratory technicians—five states, 1994–2000. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2004;53:195–7.
5. Esswein EJ, Breitenstein M, Snawder J, Kiefer M, Sieber WK. Occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing. J Occup Environ Hyg 2013;10:347–56.
6. Friedman GK, Harrison R, Bojes H, Worthington K, Filios M. Notes from the field: silicosis in a countertop fabricator—Texas, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015;64:129–30.
7. Pérez-Alonso A, Córdoba-Doña JA, Millares-Lorenzo JL, Figueroa-Murillo E, García-Vadillo C, Romero-Morillos J. Outbreak of silicosis in Spanish quartz conglomerate workers. Int J Occup Environ Health 2014;20:26–32.

* The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System was used to classify and code the industry and occupation according to the U.S. Census Bureau, North American Industry Classification System, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Standard Occupational Classification System, respectively. Additional information available at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/niosh-nioccs.

† Additional information available at https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=standards&p_id=12716.

§ Additional information available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/silica.

TABLE. Number of silicosis deaths, by age group, other selected characteristics, and year — United States, 1999–2013
Characteristic	Age group
	15–44 yrs		≥45 yrs		Overall
	Deaths	Underlying cause	Deaths	Underlying cause	Deaths	Underlying cause
Total	47	34	2,018	1,088	2,065	1,122
Sex
Male	39	30	1,933	1,031	1,972	1,061
Female	8	4	85	57	93	61
Race
White	37	27	1,727	927	1,764	954
Black	8	6	265	142	273	148
Other	2	1	26	19	28	20
Ethnicity
Hispanic	9	7	131	83	140	90
Non-Hispanic	38	27	1,883	1,002	1,921	1,029
Unknown	0	0	4	3	4	3
Year
1999	3	2	182	100	185	102
2000	5	5	146	66	151	71
2001	1	1	162	81	163	82
2002	5	4	141	85	146	89
2003	6	5	171	97	177	102
2004	2	0	163	76	165	76
2005	2	1	158	73	160	74
2006	6	3	120	64	126	67
2007	1	1	121	71	122	72
2008	2	2	144	83	146	85
2009	1	1	120	65	121	66
2010	1	0	100	52	101	52
2011	4	3	84	53	88	56
2012	0	0	103	58	103	58
2013	8	6	103	64	111	70
P-value*	0.45	0.33	<0.001	0.003	<0.001	0.004
* For trend during 1999–2013. Trends examined using a first-order autoregressive linear regression model.

NIOSH Offers New Guidance to Help Musicians Protect their Hearing

June 22, 2015

NIOSH Update:

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health published new guidance to help musicians and those who work in the music industry protect their hearing.

Professional musicians such as orchestra, band members, music teachers, as well as others in the music industry such as disc jockeys, audio engineers, and crew members are all at risk for developing permanent hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and other hearing disorders from prolonged exposure to loud music. 

Exposures to noise exceeding 85 decibels over 8 hours (dBA) are considered hazardous, and if the noise reaches 100 dBA, it could take only 15 minutes to cause permanent damage if exposed for a prolonged period of time.

“Research has shown that sound levels on stage at rock concerts or during orchestral performances often exceed NIOSH’s recommended exposure limit of 85 dBA,” said NIOSH Research Engineer Chuck Kardous, MS, PE. “It’s important for musicians to be aware of the risk for permanent hearing damage and take steps, such as those outlined in this recent Workplace Solutions document, to protect themselves.”

To mitigate potential hearing damage for professional musicians, NIOSH recommends that employers, music venue operators, schools and colleges, consider the following:

• Consider implementing a hearing conservation program that includes annual testing and training in workplaces that have noise levels that exceed 85 dBA.
• Encourage participation in educational and awareness campaigns on music-induced hearing loss.
• Increase distances between individuals and instruments when feasible.
• Conduct regular sound level assessments.
• Identify hearing protection solutions that work best for the individual musicians or affected workers.

Musicians should consider the following:

• Play music at lower levels during individual and group rehearsals, whenever possible.
• Wear hearing protection when appropriate.
• Have your hearing evaluated annually by an experienced audiologist.
• Give your ears some rest; take advantage of breaks in quiet areas when possible.

For the complete list of recommendations, download “Workplace Solutions: Reducing the Risk of Hearing Disorders among Musicians .”

NIOSH’s new recommendations are based on a series of studies and collaborations with musicians and music schools.  In 2012, NIOSH conducted a Health Hazard Evaluation  where NIOSH researchers measured sound levels during middle and high school music classes and marching band rehearsals. Findings showed that sound levels during most band rehearsals exceeded 91 dBA and reached more than 100 dBA at times exposing the band director to sound levels capable of causing permanent hearing damage.

For more information about occupational hearing loss, visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/. NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. For more information about NIOSH visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/.

 Tweet this: Musicians are at risk for permanent hearing damage. New @NIOSH recommendations can help! #music go.usa.gov/3dPbj
 Post this: Musicians and many others who work in the music industry are at risk for permanent hearing damage. See what NIOSH says you can do to reduce your risk: http://go.usa.gov/3dPbj

Silicosis is a potentially fatal but preventable occupational lung disease caused by inhaling respirable particles containing crystalline silicon dioxide (silica).

Silicosis Update

Categories: Respiratory Health, Silica

June 15th, 2015 3:23 pm ET  -  Jacek Mazurek, MD, MS, PhD and David Weissman, MD

Silicosis is a potentially fatal but preventable occupational lung disease caused by inhaling respirable particles containing crystalline silicon dioxide (silica). 

Quartz, a type of crystalline silica, is the second most abundant mineral in the earth’s crust and workers across a wide range of occupations and industries are exposed to silica-containing dusts. 

The risks, causes, and prevention of this avoidable disease have been known for decades. There is no cure for silicosis and only symptomatic treatment is available, including lung transplantation for the most severe cases.  

New national data have become available since a prior report on silicosis surveillance was published earlier this year. The new data show that silicosis continues to cause or contribute to the deaths of about 100 Americans each year. There were 88, 103, and 111 such deaths in 2011, 2012, and 2013 respectively.



The most common form of silicosis, chronic silicosis, takes at least 10 years from first exposure to develop and death does not typically occur until many years after that. 

Onset of silicosis can be faster and the severity of disease worse in the setting of high level exposures, which can cause accelerated or acute silicosis. From  2011-2013, 12 people younger than 45 years of age had silicosis listed as causing or contributing to death.  Although we do not know the details of their cases, this is concerning because silicosis deaths in these young adults may reflect higher exposures than those causing chronic silicosis mortality in older individuals.

Examples of occupations with known high silica exposure include: mining, quarrying, sandblasting, rock drilling, road construction, pottery making, stone masonry, and tunneling operations. New settings for occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica continue to emerge. For example, hazardous silica exposures have been newly documented in the United States during hydraulic fracturing of gas and oil wells (see related blog)  and during fabrication and installation of engineered stone countertops (see related blog).

While silicosis mortality in the U.S. has declined over time, the continuing occurrence of silicosis deaths in young adults and reports of new occupations and tasks that place workers at risk for silicosis underscore the need for strengthening efforts to limit workplace exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Effective silicosis prevention strategies for employers are available from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and NIOSH.

Healthcare providers should consider reporting silicosis cases to their health departments. In 2010, silicosis was a reportable condition in 25 states (click here for more information).  State health departments can help strengthen silicosis prevention efforts by identifying silicosis cases through review of state morbidity and mortality data and investigating the circumstances surrounding silicosis cases.

Jacek Mazurek, MD, MS, PhD and David Weissman, MD 
Dr. Mazurek is the Lead Research Epidemiologist in the NIOSH Division of Respiratory Disease Studies.

Dr. Weissman is Director of the NIOSH Division of Respiratory Disease Studies.

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Public Comments

Comments listed below are posted by individuals not associated with CDC, unless otherwise stated. These comments do not represent the official views of CDC, and CDC does not guarantee that any information posted by individuals on this site is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. Read more about our comment policy ».

1. June 15, 2015 at 4:18 pm ET  -   Patrick B
   thank you for this article Mr Mazurek. That’s very helpful for my degree.
   
   
   
   
   
2. June 16, 2015 at 11:13 am ET  -   Mark Ellis, NISA
   The reported deaths are tragic and clearly the result of overexposures on the job. As noted in the article, these deaths are completely preventable. What are needed to prevent such outcomes are dust control, dust monitoring, medical surveillance, and strict compliance with the current PEL. An occupational health program that incorporates these elements was developed by the National Industrial Sand Association (NISA) and I recommend it for your consideration. It can be accessed at [http://www.sand.org/Silica-Occupational-Health-Program]. You also should be aware of a recent NIOSH publication, Dust Control Handbook for Industrial Minerals Mining and Processing, Report of Investigations 9689/2012, NIOSH Pub. No.2012-112. It can be accessed through the following hyperlink: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pubreference/outputid3675.htm. Many of the dust controls identified for the industrial minerals industry potentially could be applied to other industrial sectors . . . perhaps with some modification.

Mitsubishi recalls 460,000 cars; 5 hurt when air bags push sun visor into passengers

JUNE 25, 2015

DETROIT, MI (AP)

Mitsubishi is recalling about 460,000 cars in the U.S. because the air bags have the potential to push sun visors into passengers and cause injuries in a crash.

Documents filed with U.S. safety regulators show that five passengers were hurt when the air bags hit sun visors that were down. All had facial injuries and two lost sight in one eye. 

Mitsubishi reported the first injury claim was filed in March of 2006, and other claims were filed in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Yet the cars were not recalled until May, the company said in documents posted Thursday.

The recall covers certain Eclipse sport coupes from the 2000-2005 model years and some Eclipse Spyders from 2001 to 2005. Also covered are some 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus cars that Mitsubishi made for Chrysler.

Dealers will add a tether strap to the visor at no cost to customers. On Eclipse Spyders, the sun visor holder also will be replaced.

A Mitsubishi spokesman in California declined to comment on the recall.
In documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Mitsubishi said it researched its database after the 2006 claim and found no other incidents. It reviewed test results and determined that the air bags worked as designed.

Mitsubishi said the second claim in July, 2010 couldn't be verified because the car had been disassembled. The company decided after the third claim 2012 claim to monitor field incidents. Mitsubishi said all three claims were settled.

The fourth claim came in July of 2013 in which a passenger's eye was injured. The company then began investigating the air bag inflation pattern compared with other vehicles, but found nothing unusual and couldn't identify a safety defect, it said in documents.

The fifth claim in April of last year brought more testing, which found that the sun visor in the Eclipse had a higher possibility of coming loose when the air bags inflated. Further tests brought the recall, the documents said.

Mitsubishi said it hasn't received any similar claims for the two Chrysler models.
Mitsubishi also is recalling about 75,000 later-model Eclipses and Spyders for anti-lock braking problems.

The company said in documents posted Thursday that the recall covers certain 2006-2009 Eclipses and 2007 to 2009 Eclipse Spyders. Rust in the anti-lock brake system can cause valves to seize, reducing braking power.

Dealers will flush and clean the anti-lock brake unit and replace the brake fluid at no cost to owners.

Garbage truck crashes into N. Andover, Mass. Lake Cochichewick that is used for drinking water; oil and fuel spilled into the water

Mark Lorenz for the Globe

Crews worked to remove the garbage truck from Lake Cochichewick in North Andover.

By Aneri Pattani Globe Correspondent   

 

June 25, 2015

 

A garbage truck crashed Thursday morning through a retaining wall and into a lake that supplies North Andover’s drinking water, officials said.

The truck crashed through the wall on Great Pond Road and into Lake Cochichewick around 6 a.m., North Andover police said in a statement.

The 27-year-old driver climbed out of the truck while it was sinking. Firefighters rescued him in a boat, and he was taken to Lawrence General Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, police said.

The truck spilled a small amount of hydraulic fluid and motor oil in the water, but the state Department of Environmental Protection and the town’s water department determined there was no effect on the town’s drinking water, police said, especially since they folks will not drink that water.

“Anything that did spill remained on the surface of the water,” said DEP spokesman Ed Coletta.

 

The fire department set out booms very quickly, which stopped the spill from spreading.

“We are very confident it didn’t get anywhere near the drinking water plant or intake valve,” Coletta said.

The town will be testing water samples over the next few days as a precaution, he added.

Workers removed the truck from about 20 feet of water using heavy towing machinery. It will be taken to Coady’s Towing in Lawrence, where State Police will inspect it. They will search for any evidence of a mechanical or electrical issue that may have led to the crash, police said.

The truck is owned by JRM Hauling & Recycling of Peabody. The company did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Great Pond Road will be closed in the area of the crash until at least 3 p.m., police said, while cleanup crews work.

North Andover police are investigating.
Source:https://www.bostonglobe.com

BNSF train partially derails in east Houston, Texas

• 
  Photo By Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle 
   
  Workers with Union Pacific try to get a derailed train back on its tracks at Harrisburg Boulevard and Hughes Street on Wednesday, June 24, 2015, in Houston. Union Pacific said the locomotive and six rail cars went off the track, but remained upright. The rail company says the rail cars were carrying plastic products and did not spill.

• JUNE 24, 2015

  EAST HOUSTON, TEXAS

There were no injuries this afternoon when a locomotive and a handful of cars went off the track in east Houston, authorities said.

A Burlington Northern Santa Fe train partially derailed about 1:30 p.m. 
Wednesday near Harrisburg and Hughes on Union Pacific track. The locomotive and six cars remained upright, railroad officials said.

The cars were carrying plastic pellets. There were no spills, Union Pacific officials said.

Workers are now trying to get the engine and the railroad cars back on the track.

The investigation into the cause of the derailment and any repair work will begin after that, officials said.
Source: Houston Chronicle

1 person was injured after his pickup truck slammed into gas pumps at the Raceway station on Highway 29 in Ensley, Florida

Fiery Crash: Driver Hits Pumps At Highway 29 Gas Station

One person was hospitalized after his pickup  truck slammed into gas pumps at the Raceway station on Highway 29 in Ensley, Florida this morning.

June 25, 2015
 
ENSLEY, FLORIDA
 
About 6:50 a.m., the pickup driver apparently turned into the gas station off Highway 29, lost control, hitting and sheering-off one set of pumps and hit another set, sparking a roaring blaze.  The man was rescued from the truck by bystanders.

The driver was transported to Baptist Hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening. 

The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details have not been released.

OSHA adds key hazards for investigators' focus in healthcare inspections. Emphasis placed on musculoskeletal disorders, bloodborne pathogens, workplace violence, tuberculosis and slips, trips and falls

U.S. Department of Labor | June 25, 2015

OSHA adds key hazards for investigators' focus in healthcare inspections .

  Emphasis placed on musculoskeletal disorders, bloodborne pathogens, workplace violence, tuberculosis and slips, trips and falls

WASHINGTON, DC

Targeting some of the most common causes of workplace injury and illness in the healthcare industry, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the agency is expanding its use of enforcement resources in hospitals and nursing homes to focus on: 

musculoskeletal disorders related to patient or resident handling; bloodborne pathogens; workplace violence; tuberculosis and slips, trips and falls.

U.S. hospitals recorded nearly 58,000 work-related injuries and illnesses in 2013, amounting to 6.4 work-related* injuries and illnesses for every 100 full-time employees: almost twice as high as the overall rate for private industry.

"Workers who take care of us when we are sick or hurt should not be at such high risk for injuries — that simply is not right. Workers in hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities have work injury and illness rates that are among the highest in the country, and virtually all of these injuries and illnesses are preventable," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. 

"OSHA has provided employers with education, training and resource materials, and it's time for hospitals and the health care industry to make the changes necessary to protect their workers."

OSHA has advised its staff through a memorandum that all inspections of hospitals and nursing home facilities, including those prompted by complaints, referrals or severe injury reports, should include the review of potential hazards involving MSD related to patient handling; bloodborne pathogens; workplace violence; tuberculosis; and slips, trips and falls.

"The most recent statistics tell us that almost half of all reported injuries in the healthcare industry were attributed to overexertion and related tasks. Nurses and nursing assistants each accounted for a substantial share of this total," added Dr. Michaels.  "There are feasible solutions for preventing these hazards and now is the time for employers to implement them."

For more information; to obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint or report amputations, losses of an eye, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public can call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742). 

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Moments before imposing the maximum sentence Thursday on a Riverhead man for killing a woman while driving drunk, a Suffolk judge told him he was of remarkably poor character.

Judge says man was 'heartless' in DWI crash that killed woman

June 25, 2015 

J

Joseph Perez, in Judge Camacho's courtroom at First District Court in Central Islip Thursday morning on June. 25, 2015, where he was sentenced for the fatal DWI crash that claimed the life of Donna Sartori. Photo Credit: James Carbone

Moments before imposing the maximum sentence Thursday on a Riverhead man for killing a woman while driving drunk, a Suffolk judge told him he was of remarkably poor character.

Joseph Perez, 31, was found guilty last month of aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter and second-degree vehicular manslaughter in the death of Donna Sartori, who was delivering newspapers with her Shih Tzu, Bam Bam, in the early hours of Jan. 5, 2014.

Perez had a blood-alcohol content of .23 percent -- almost three times the legal standard of .08 percent for driving while intoxicated -- when he plowed into Sartori's car, knocking her out of her seat 40 feet down the road. Bam Bam was never found.

"I have nothing to say, sir," Perez said when state Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho gave him a chance to explain himself.

"OK, well, I do," Camacho replied.

He said Perez' character was apparent even before the crash, when after a night of drinking he peeled out of a Hampton Bays nightclub's parking lot although friends offered to drive for him after he got into a minor fender bender. Then, less than two miles away, after he killed Sartori, 56, of Middle Island. Perez sat on a bench near her body and waited for police and emergency workers to come.

"I can't imagine killing someone, and not even holding their hand during their last moments on this earth," Camacho told an impassive Perez. "You're a cold, heartless, uncaring, self-centered individual."

Camacho sentenced Perez to 12 1/2 to 25 years in prison.

 

Earlier, Sartori's husband, Anthony Guggino, told Perez, "Donna was my whole life. You took everything away from us."

That includes even the dog, he said.

"We had no children," Guggino said. "We had a dog. We lost our dog in this accident."

Sartori's sister, Debra Fox of Saratoga Springs, said her death devastated her entire family.

"Not only did my sister died, but a part of each person in my family died right along with her -- especially my parents," Fox said. "They're both so grief-stricken that they couldn't come anywhere near this courtroom during the trial because they could not bear to look at the man that is responsible for their daughter's senseless death."

Assistant District Attorney Carl Borelli said the crash never had to happen.

"Everything about this was avoidable," he said. "This was not an accident. He made choice after choice after choice."

Defense attorney George Duncan of Central Islip emotionally apologized to Sartori's family and asked Camacho not to punish his client for exercising his right to a trial.

But Camacho made it clear that played no role in his sentencing

The Ultimate Bad Luck: Man sitting on a Staten Island park bench on a sunny day killed by an SUV after a nearby crash

Oriamor Benson’s SUV lies on its side above a demolished park bench.

Peter Gerber

 June 25, 2015

Staten Island, NY

 

A sunny afternoon in a Staten Island park turned tragic for a 57-year-old man who was hit and killed by an SUV while sitting on a park bench Wednesday.

The incident unfolded just before 2 p.m. in Tompkinsville, when two vehicles collided at the intersection of Bay Street and Victory Boulevard, cops said.

One of the vehicles, an SUV driven by a 25-year-old woman named Oriamor Benson, mounted the curb and hit David Craig, who was on a bench in Tompkinsville Park.

Craig was rushed to Richmond University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Benson, of Britton Avenue in Staten Island was charged with driving while ability impaired.
Source:http://nypost.com