2 killed in Fresno County wrong-way drunk driver crash in California

Two people were killed in a car crash at Jensen and Temperance in Fresno County. (KFSN)

Thursday, August 04, 2016 05:39AM
FRESNO COUNTY (KFSN) -- Two people were killed in a car crash at Jensen and Temperance in Fresno County.

The accident happened on Jensen Avenue and Temperance Avenue just after 10 p.m. on Wednesday. Investigators say a man was driving a truck in the wrong direction, when he crashed into another car. Both drivers were killed.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) says both victims are men, but their names haven't been released. A woman was driving nearby and tried to warn the wrong-way driver.

"Saw the whole thing. Saw the vehicle coming the wrong way. Was trying to alert that vehicle by flashing her high beams, and it didn't do any good. She saw the whole collision happen right in front of us. So we're pretty confident we know what happened," said Sgt. Leonard Sherman, CHP.

Investigators don't know why the man was driving in the wrong direction. A toxicology test will reveal whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash.  In almost every other case, the wrong-way driver is drunk, drugged or otherwise impaired.

An elevator malfunction at Criminal Justice Center sent two people to the hospital in Center City Philadelphia, PA

An elevator malfunction sent two people to the hospital, including one in critical condition. (WPVI)

By Sarah Bloomquist
Updated 23 mins ago

CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- A Sheriff's Department sergeant and a court clerk were injured in a chain reaction incident involving two elevators at the Criminal Justice Center in Center City.

It happened just before 10:30 Thursday morning in a bank of elevators reserved for employees at the CJC.

There was a failure at the top of one elevator, sending it flying up into a maintenance room, with a sheriff's deputy inside. Debris from that crash hit a second elevator, carrying a court employee.

The 48-year-old Sheriff's Deputy, identified as Sgt. Paul Owens, was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital in critical condition where he underwent surgery after suffering broken bones in his back.





Family members and fellow sheriff's deputies rushed to be by Sgt. Paul Owens' side as he was about to go into surgery Thursday afternoon.

The court clerk who was hurt, Beverly Smith, was treated at the hospital and released.

When the malfunction happened people at the Criminal Justice Center heard what some thought was an explosion. An announcement then came over the loud speakers telling everyone to evacuate.











The decision was made to shut down all operations within the Criminal Justice Center for the remainder of the day. The courts will also be closed on Friday, with the exception of certain bail matters and protection from abuse orders.

We know now that Sgt. Owens had just left the hearing for Monsignor William Lynn. He was going to collect a jury on another matter when, for some reason, the elevator car he was in moved upward with such force it breached the shaft ceiling. Debris from the impact rained down more than 100 feet onto the elevator carrying Smith.

Philadelphia Fire Department Deputy Commissioner Jessie Wilson explains, "The sheriff was at the top most sections of one of the elevators and the woman who was transported was at the bottom most section of the other elevator."




According to the sheriff, Sgt. Owens, who's been with the department since 1989, suffered broken bones in his back when he was tossed about the elevator car as it jumped upward toward the roof.

Sheriff Jewell Williams tells us, "It's like a projectile in a building or in a box, and you stop and everything moves. That's what I think happened."

City records show that all the elevators, which are used only by court employees and jurors, were inspected by the state on June 14th and passed that inspection. The remaining elevators in the building were cleared again on Thursday by state inspectors.

24-year-old Marshall Doran pleaded guilty to two counts of 1st degree murder and two counts of arson in Carolina Beach, NC. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

Marshall Doran (image courtesy Raleigh-Wake City-County Bureau of Identification)

Thursday, August 04, 2016 12:01PM

CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The man accused of starting several fires in Carolina Beach that killed two women plead guilty in court Thursday morning.

WWAY-TV reports 24-year-old Marshall Doran pleaded guilty to two counts of 1st degree murder and two counts of arson. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

Doran set three separate fires that heavily damaged two condominium buildings and cars at Carolina Beach in 2014. Prosecutors said 43-year-old Darlene Maslar and 72-year-old Mary Cochran died. A firefighter and several people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

By pleading guilty, Doran avoided a trial and a possible death sentence.









Police say two fires at condominum complexes and another vehicle fire all appear to be linked.

Doran was also charged earlier in 2014 in Wake County after he allegedly killed two Good Samaritans in a DWI hit-and-run crash along Interstate 40 near Raleigh.

Doran allegedly fled the scene after hitting 39-year-old Larry Kepley of Winston-Salem and 34-year-old Nathaniel Williams as they attempted to help drivers who lost control on the snow-covered interstate near the Wake-Johnston County line.

Doran was found hiding in a wooded area near his car.

Williams was a member of the U.S. Navy who was stationed at Fort Bragg for special training. He was living in Hope Mills, and had just returned from a year-long deployment in Afghanistan the month before.

Prosecutors said Doran - who was a University of North Carolina at Wilmington student at the time - was driving under the influence and had illegal drugs in his possession as he drove from the coast to visit a girlfriend in Chapel Hill for Valentine's Day.

Prosecutors said in Doran's car, investigators found a receipt for strawberries, chocolate, and a bottle of wine. They contend he drank the wine on the drive west.

He was charged with felony death by motor vehicle, hit and run, reckless driving, and DWI. His bond was originally set at $5 million, but was later lowered to $400,000 - allowing him to get out of jail.

That case is still pending.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer injured after he collided with a car on Interstate Highway 280 in San Jose, CA

CHP investigate motorcycle crash involving officer in San Jose, Thursday, August 4, 2016. (KGO-TV)

Bay City News
Thursday, August 04, 2016 11:41AM
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer who collided with another car on Interstate Highway 280 in San Jose this morning has been sent to a hospital for minor injuries, a CHP spokesman said.

The officer was traveling at about 60 mph in the far left lane on northbound Highway 280 south of Winchester Boulevard around 8:40 a.m. when a silver Toyota Corolla changed lanes and collided with the motorcycle, CHP Officer Ross Lee said.

The officer didn't have enough time to brake and collided with the rear of the Toyota, Lee said. The officer was ejected from the motorcycle, went over the Toyota and landed on the roadway, according to Lee. The motorcycle landed on its right side and crashed into a concrete wall, Lee said.

The officer was talking and walking on his own at the scene. He was transported to a hospital for complaint of pain and abrasions to his arm, according to Lee. The officer had been responding to a collision farther down the freeway at De Anza Boulevard before the collision with the Toyota, Lee said. The Toyota driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Both vehicles were moved to the center divider and were damaged in the collision, according to the CHP.

No other injuries were reported.

4 injured after a Vernon, Connecticut house destroyed by gas explosion

Updated 6 mins ago
VERNON, Connecticut -- Connecticut authorities say an explosion has destroyed a house in the north-central part of the state. Officials say four people including a young child were pulled from the home and taken to hospitals, and more victims may be trapped inside.

Firefighters were called to the house in Vernon at about 4:15 p.m. Thursday. Several ambulances and police also responded.

The conditions of the four people brought to the hospital haven't been disclosed.

Authorities were searching what remained of the house for other possible victims.

The cause of the blast isn't known, although a gas explosion appears to be the most likely cause. Officials from Vernon and the state fire marshal's office are investigating.

A Target 18-wheeler truck hit the central divider and caught fire on I-287 in Oakland, New Jersey

Truck fire in Oakland closes southbound lanes on I-287 in NJ






Eyewitness News
Updated 45 mins ago

OAKLAND, New Jersey (WABC) -- State Police say all southbound lanes on I-287 in New Jersey are closed due to a truck fire in Oakland.

The fire is at milepost 58.5 in Bergen County.

The truck is a tractor-trailer for Target stores. The driver has been accounted for and is safe.

Preliminary indications are that the truck hit the center divider and veered off to the right.

The fire, which sent thick black smoke into the air, is under control.

NewsCopter 7 was over the scene of the crash.




There is heavy traffic in the area, including rubber-necking delays on the northbound side of 287. The backups are affecting nearby Route 208.

Police are advising motorists to plan an alternate route.

Maintenance technician crushed fatally when 4,000 pound machine part unintentionally moves during repairs at the Warrensburg foundry of Stahl Specialty Company

August 4, 2016

Maintenance technician crushed fatally when 4,000 pound machine part
unintentionally moves during repairs at the Warrensburg foundry of
Stahl Specialty Company

 
WARRENSBURG, Mo. - A 57-year-old maintenance worker was crushed fatally by a 4,000 pound machine part while performing maintenance inside of a sand core machine at a Warrensburg aluminum foundry.

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found his employer, Stahl Specialty Company, did not use lockout devices and other machine safety procedures to prevent unintentional movement of the part - known as a ram - while the worker was inside the machine. OSHA cited the company for one repeated and five serious safety violations on July 29, after the agency completed its investigation into the Feb. 15, 2016, death.

"An employee who had been with the company 40 years lost his life because his employer failed to follow safety procedures to prevent machine parts from moving during maintenance," said Todd Sieleman, OSHA's acting area director in Kansas City. "Foundries have inherent dangers and employers like Stahl Specialty need to review their safety procedures to protect workers on the job."

While investigating the fatality OSHA found Stahl Specialty Company:
Failed to isolate all sources of energy in or to the equipment.
Did not protect employees from unexpected machine movements during maintenance.

• Lacked machine-specific lockout procedures.
• Failed to adequately train workers on proper lockout procedures.
• Failed to coordinate lockout procedures with an outside contractor.
• Did not correct illegible markings on a crane pendant control box.

Proposed penalties total $105,000. View citations here.

Based in Kingsville, Stahl Specialty Company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Kansas City office at 816-502-0297.

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.

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Foundry

Stahl specializes in only permanent and semi-permanent mold aluminum castings. Over a dozen different alloys are poured daily within the 300 aluminum series. Sand cores in the cold and hot box process are available to meet your specifications.

The three foundry facilities in Kingsville focus on diesel engine, marine, agriculture, construction tools, refrigeration, and commercial industries. Casting weights range from one pound to 242 pounds with volumes of several hundred to 400,000 annually. Over 80% of the castings are shipped fully machined and some sub-assembly is maintained within the process.

The Kingsville foundries have 44 permanent mold machines in operation each day with platen sizes of 18x24 through 48x60 inches. With the exception of two machines, all foundry casting machines are the tilt-pour-process enhancing the solidification resulting in a higher strength casting. Using dry hearth reverbratory furnaces the melting capacity exceeds over 37,000 pounds per hour.

The Warrensburg complex also has three foundry facilities primarily servicing the automotive industry. Casting sizes typically are less than five pounds with volumes of 100,000 to over a million castings per year. The majority of the Warrensburg foundry machines are rotary turntables providing the maximum production output per man-hour. There are 19 foundry cells with a melting capacity over 39,000 pounds per hour.

Stahl Specialty offers a wide variety of casting sizes, weights, and volumes providing its customers with diverse flexibility in the customer’s design and scheduling requirements to meet the needs of today’s business environment.

OSHA finds Waupaca Foundry Inc. in Wisconsin placed employees at risk for permanent hearing loss, respiratory illness, other dangers from exposure to noise, silica

August 4, 2016

OSHA finds Waupaca Foundry Inc. in Wisconsin placed employees at risk for permanent hearing loss, respiratory illness, other dangers from exposure to noise, silica

Employer name: Waupaca Foundry Inc.
1955 Brunner Drive
Waupaca, Wisconsin

Citations issued: July 29, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued two repeat and two serious safety violations to Waupaca Foundry Inc.

An investigation found Waupaca overexposed its employees to:

• Noise.
• Respirable crystalline silica.
• Carbon monoxide.

The company also failed to implement a formaldehyde training program and engineering and administrative controls to reduce exposure to hazards.

Quote: "Waupaca's willingness to continually allow occupational noise that exceeds safety standards puts its workers at risk of permanent hearing loss and undermines their quality of life," said Robert Bonack, OSHA's area director in Appleton. "Our inspectors also found workers exposed to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide and silica dust, a known respiratory hazard that can cause cancer and other health complications. Like all employers, Waupaca Foundry is responsible for implementing health and safety programs to protect its employees from exposure to these and other hazards."

Proposed Penalties: $56,950.

View Citations here.

Information: In March 2016, OSHA announced a final rule to improve protections for workers exposed to respirable silica dust. The rule will curb lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease in America's workers by limiting their exposure to respirable crystalline silica. About 2.3 million men and women face exposure to respirable crystalline silica in their workplaces, including two million construction workers who drill and cut silica-containing materials such as concrete and stone, and 300,000 workers in operations such as brick manufacturing, foundries and hydraulic fracturing. Most employers can limit harmful dust exposure by using equipment that is widely available - generally using water to keep dust from getting into the air or a ventilation system to capture dust where it is created.

Background: Waupaca Foundry is a leader producer of iron castings and employs about 4,000 workers at nine foundry, machining and assembly plants. The company is based in Waupaca and has three foundries in the city as well as locations in Marinette, Wisconsin; Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Appleton Area Office at 920-734-4521.

OSHA fines Solvay Specialty Polymers USA LLC chemical facility $115K for exposing workers to flammable gas, other hazards

August 4, 2016

OSHA fines Solvay Specialty Polymers USA LLC chemical facility $115K for exposing workers to flammable gas, other hazards; finds 3 repeat, 8 serious violations

Employer name: Solvay Specialty Polymers USA LLC
Inspection site: 10 Leonard Lane, West Deptford, New Jersey
Citations issued: On August 1, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the employer for three repeat and eight serious safety violations.

Investigation findings: As part of the agency's national emphasis program for chemical facilities, OSHA inspected the company on Feb. 6, 2016, and found multiple violations of federal process safety management regulations, including not developing set written procedures for maintaining process equipment, which resulted in repeat violations.

In addition, OSHA issued citations for serious violations for the following:

• Having incomplete process safety information for equipment in the process.
• Failing to review operating procedures to comply with current operating practice.
• Failing to inspect and test process equipment.
• Failing to follow established procedures to manage changes to process chemicals, technology, equipment, and/or facilities.
• Failing to respond properly to a compliance audit.

Quote: "Our inspectors focused on vinylidene fluoride, a liquified flammable gas manufactured and used at Solvay Specialty Polymers' chemical facility. This gas poses serious safety and health risks to this company's employees, including fire and explosion hazards, frostbite, skin and lung irritation, and liver damage associated with chronic exposures. An effective process safety management program is needed to protect workers and prevent the catastrophic release of highly hazardous chemicals," said Paula Dixon-Roderick, director of OSHA's Marlton Area Office.

Proposed penalties: $115,000
The citation can be viewed at:
  http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/SolvaySpecialtyPolymersUSLLC_1123880.pdf
The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Marlton Area Office at 856-596-5200.
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.

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