Cause of the United Express Engine fire: the plane’s tire caught fire and spread to the engine

DENVER, CO (CBS4)– The operating airline for the United Express flight that caught fire says the plane’s tire caught fire and spread to the engine.

The flames broke out after Skywest flight 5869, operating as United Express, finished its short flight from Aspen to Denver International Airport on Sunday afternoon.



SkyWest plane fire (credit: Raiyan Syded / Twitter)

“Probably a piece of tire acted as a shrapnel getting thrown into the engine cowling, which is the intake of the engine,” said retired pilot Capt. Ross Aimer. “And a piece of hot tire caused the fan blades perhaps to fail and the engine caught fire.”

Everyone escaped the burning plane. Denver firefighters were able to get the fire under control on the runway at DIA.

The plane has been taken out of service while the FAA investigates the exact cause of the fire.

Speeding ATV driver Alan Vanduzer, 27, of Orwell, was killed when he failed to negotiate a turn and crashed into a parked trailer in Oswego County, NY

State police identify man killed in fatal ATV crash in Oswego County

  Updated on July 2, 2017 at 5:19 PM
By Kira Maddox

kmaddox@syracuse.com

ORWELL, N.Y. -- State Police have identified a man killed Friday in an all-terrain vehicle crash in Oswego County.

Alan Vanduzer, 27, of Orwell, was killed when he failed to negotiate a turn and crashed into a parked trailer, said Investigator Shawn Finkle, a State Police spokesman.

Vanduzer was riding an ATV at about 10:50 p.m. Friday east on Gay Road. He was about to take a sharp turn into a driveway when he lost control of the ATV, Finkle said.

Vanduzer went off the road -- which is a dead-end street -- and crashed into his family's trailer that had been parked nearby off the roadway, Finkle said.

Vanduzer was not wearing a helmet at the time and was killed, according to State Police. Unsafe speeds caused the crash, Finkle said.

Speeding ATV driver Ryan Dale Helstein crushed to death by his overturned ATV near Balsam Lane in Ishpeming Township, MI

ISHPEMING TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) - 


UPDATE: July 3, 2:55 p.m.:
The name has been released of the 39-year-old Ishpeming man who died in an ORV crash Sunday evening after becoming pinned under a four wheel ATV.

Ryan Dale Helstein succumbed to his injuries from the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Helstein was wearing a Department of Transportation approved helmet at the time of the accident. Speed was a contributing factor in the crash, but the crash is still under investigation.

-------------------------------
An Ishpeming man died in an ORV crash Sunday evening after becoming pinned under a four wheel ATV.

According to the Marquette County Sheriff's Office, the crash occurred along a wooded area near Balsam Lane in Ishpeming Township at 7:51 p.m. A passerby on another ORV discovered the 39-year-old victim pinned under his ATV that had overturned. The subject was unresponsive and 911 was called, but emergency medical personnel were unable to revive the victim.

The crash remains under investigation.

Assisting the Marquette County Sheriff's Office were Ishpeming Township Fire, Bell EMS, the Ishpeming Police Department, Rescue 131 and Antilla's Towing.





==================



ISHPEMING TOWNSHIP -- An Ishpeming man was killed after flipping an ORV around 7:51 last night.

The Marquette County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the report of a single ORV personal injury crash that occurred in a wooded area near Balsam Lane in Ishpeming Township.

A passerby on another ORV found 39-year-old Ryan Dale Helstein of Ishpeming pinned under a four wheel ATV that had flipped.

Helstein was unresponsive, and 911 was called. Upon arrival, emergency medical personnel were unable to revive him. Helstein succumbed to his injuries as a result from the crash, and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Helstein was wearing a Department of Transportation approved helmet. Though speed was a contributing factor in the fatal accident, the crash remains under investigation.

Assisting at the scene were Ishpeming Township Fire, Bell EMS, Ishpeming City Police Department, Rescue 131, and Antilla's Towing.

Melanie Cybulski died after she tried to help her husband after a boating crash on Gun Lake in Michigan when a 16-foot boat operated by Cybulski’s husband Eric collided with a Sea-Doo personal watercraft operated by Jacob Baker

For everyone who has been kind enough to share thoughts and prayers for my beloved sister Melanie Heusted-Cybulski she was declared brain dead today and we are waiting for the transplant team to finish their evaluation and prep for harvesting .

Debbie Heusted, Facebook

BARRY COUNTY, Mich. — Authorities say woman has died after she tried to help her husband after a boating crash on Gun Lake over the weekend.

The Barry County Sheriff’s Office says Melanie Cybulski saw her husband in distress after the collision Saturday and attempted to assist.

The sheriff’s office says the crash was reported at about 4:08 p.m. Saturday when a 16-foot boat operated by Cybulski’s husband Eric collided with a Sea-Doo personal watercraft. Jacob Baker, who was operating the Sea-Doo, was thrown from the vehicle and knocked unconscious.

Eric Cybulski jumped into the water after Baker and kept his face out of the water, officials said.

Though Baker was wearing a life jacket, officials say Eric was not and became exhausted. Melanie Cybulski saw that he was distressed but was unable to get their boat closer to help, according to a release.

Witnesses tell police she got into the water and reported that they saw her swimming. She was later seen floating on her back and they initially thought she was resting, according to a release.

When a family from Middleville who were also on the lake checked on her, they found she was not breathing and attempted to perform CPR on their boat.

Officials say she was taken to the hospital and died on Sunday. The two men were pulled out of the water by other people helping at the scene. They were both hospitalized.



===============



BARRY COUNTY, Mich. -- Three people were hospitalized after a boating accident on Gun Lake on Saturday afternoon.

According to the Barry County Sheriff's Office, at 4:08 p.m. Saturday a 55-year-old Hastings man was operating a 16-foot fiberglass inboard pleasure boat when it collided with a Seadoo personal watercraft.

The 19-year-old Grand Rapids male operating the Seadoo was knocked unconscious and thrown into the water. Seeing this, the Hastings man jumped into the lake, keeping the injured man’s face out of the water.

The injured teenager was wearing a life jacket. However, the Hastings man was not and began to become exhausted. Several Good Samaritan citizens assisted with both the injured teen and the exhausted Hastings man, getting the injured teenager onto a boat and transporting him to shore where he was treated by Orangeville First Responders and Wayland EMS.

The teen was transported to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids with head and face injuries.

The Hastings man also was transported by Wayland EMS to Pennock Spectrum due to other health conditions.

Immediately after the collision, the Hastings man’s wife saw her husband in distress and attempted to assist. She was unable to get their boat close. It is unknown at what point the woman went into the water or why she stopped breathing. She was found floating face up in the water, not breathing and not wearing a life jacket.

A Middleville family, who was assisting at the accident scene, found the woman, held her and gave her rescue breaths until Orangeville First Responders could get her into the family’s boat and begin CPR. They took her to shore where other citizens continued CPR until Wayland EMS took over.

The woman was transported from Spectrum Pennock to Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids where she is listed in critical condition.

Her husband and the 19-year-old also remain hospitalized in stable condition.

The Barry County Sheriff’s Office and the families of the injured are grateful to the many citizens on Gun Lake who provided assistance. Lives were saved due to their heroic efforts.

The Barry County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division is asking anyone who may have seen the woman enter the water to call the office with information at (269) 948-4801.

Environmental Remediation Services Inc. of East Syracuse was cited for one "serious" violation and fined $8,149 in connection with the death of James Parisella when a 100-foot section of steel pierced the cab of his excavator

The employer of a demolition worker killed at the Gap Inc. distribution center in Fishkill has been fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for violating regulations on the removal of steel construction.

Environmental Remediation Services Inc. of East Syracuse was cited for one "serious" violation and fined $8,149 in connection with the death of James Parisella, according to a report obtained by the Poughkeepsie Journal.

ERSI is contesting the finding. Emails and a phone message seeking comment were not returned by company officials by deadline.

Parisella, 58, of Fort Pierce, Florida — and formerly of Millbrook — died when a 100-foot section of steel pierced the cab of his excavator on Dec. 10. He was helping take down a building at the Gap site that had been destroyed by fire on Aug. 29.

The June 8 OSHA report gives the following account of the actions leading up to Parisella's death:

On Dec. 9, the day before the accident, four workers were performing demolition activities that included torch burning, ground spotting and heavy equipment operations on and near structural steel members, structural columns and a type of roof truss known as an open web steel joist.
The demolition "progressed in a manner that caused overstressing of columns, thereby exposing workers and support crew to a potential, unplanned structural collapse."
Specifically, hinge cuts made at the base of the columns caused them to be overstressed.
Once a column was cut on three sides, the last remaining side was subjected to loads that were nearly three times the limit for the grade of steel.

OSHA defines a serious violation as a workplace hazard that could cause an accident or illness that would most likely result in death or serious physical harm, except when the employer did not know or could not have known of the violation.


An aerial photo of the fire-ridden Gap distribution center in Fishkil is seen in this Sept. 22 photo. (Photo: Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Jour)

Disputes of OSHA findings are assigned to an administrative law judge within the agency's review commission.

Typically, Department of Labor attorneys and the employer’s representatives will try to reach a settlement. If that effort fails, then the case can be argued before the judge.

Though he lived in Florida, Parisella hailed from Millbrook, where he attended St. Joseph School. His grandfather owned Parisella’s Flowers, which operated out of Millbrook and on Raymond Avenue in Poughkeepsie.

ERSI is also facing a $20 million wrongful death lawsuit filed in May by Parisella's widow, Jaye Melanson.

Gap and the general contractor on the demolition job, Clayco Inc. of Chicago, are also named as defendants. The case is pending in federal district court in White Plains.

Authorities determined the fire was set intentionally. No arrests have been announced. State police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are continuing to investigate.

In October, Gap and ATF offered $7,500 each in reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.


Providing tips


Anyone with information about the fire should contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-FIRE (888-283-3473), email ATFTips@atf.gov, or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Tips may also be submitted to ATF through the ReportIt app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. All tips will be kept confidential.

===================================






FISHKILL, NY - The widow of a demolition worker who died while taking down a portion of Gap Inc.'s distribution center in Fishkill is seeking $20 million in damages in a wrongful death lawsuit.

James Parisella, 58, of Fort Pierce, Florida, was killed when a 100-foot-long section of steel pierced the cab of his excavator on Dec. 10. He is survived by his wife, Jaye Melanson, as well as three children from a previous marriage and five grandchildren.

Though he lived in Florida, Parisella hailed from Millbrook, where he attended St. Joseph School with his four siblings. His grandfather owned Parisella’s Flowers, which operated out of Millbrook and on Raymond Avenue in Poughkeepsie.


Parisella had been employed by Environmental Remediation Services Inc. of Syracuse, which was subcontracted by Clayco Contractors of Chicago to conduct demolition and rebuild work at the Gap site.

Building 100, a 1.3 million-square-foot facility, was destroyed in an Aug. 29 fire that authorities say was set intentionally.

ERSI, Clayco and Gap are all listed as defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed May 4 in federal district court in White Plains.

"It’s our allegation that the connection of the roof and the wall was not proper," said Gerald McCarthy, a partner with McCarthy & Kelly, LLP, in New York City.

McCarthy acknowledged the building had been ravaged by the fire, but suggested unsafe conditions existed prior to the blaze.

"The fire destroys some things, but it doesn’t destroy others," he said. "What was left is what we can see from the piece that unfortunately went into the cab of the excavator. And it appears that that (piece) was not properly secured to the building."

Gap spokeswoman Debbie Felix said the company does not comment on pending litigation. Clayco and ERSI did not return emails and phone messages seeking comment.

"We need to find out more information from Clayco and from Gap as to engineer drawings and analysis they did before and after the fire," McCarthy said.

As a result of the workplace fatality, ERSI is under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. That investigation has not concluded, spokesman James Lally said.

Parisella's excavator was applying pressure to a column in order to bring down a section of the building when the 100-foot-long, 6-by-6-inch piece of steel angle came down, according to OSHA records.


A fire company fights flames coming out of the Gap distribution center in Fishkill. (Photo: Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal)

State police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are continuing to investigate the arson. An ATF spokesman said the agency had no new information.

In October, Gap and ATF offered $7,500 each in reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.



============

James (Jim) Parisella

Obituary

"No words can express how much Jimmy will be missed. He was..."
- Pam Land


Born on January 1, 1958 to Louis and Lois R. Parisella who are both deceased. Jim died suddenly in an accident at work on Saturday, December 9th, 2016, in Fishkill, New York. Jim is survived by his wife, Captain Jaye Melanson. Jaye and Jim resided in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Jim is also survived by his three children, Jamie Loretta (Chris) Conway, Stephanie (Daniel) Rodriguez and Joseph Parisella, and five grandchildren, Nate Conway, twins Luke and Bennie Conway, and Domenick and Gabriel Rodriguez. 

Jim was the treasured brother of his sisters Laura Parisella Scott of Schenectady and Annie Parisella of Eugene Oregon, twin brother John Parisella of Schenectady, and younger brother, Michael Parisella of Phoenix Arizona. Jim is also survived by his former wife and the mother of all of his children, Donna Diskin of Canastota, New York. Jim was immensely proud of his children, and he loved his five grandchildren deeply, and he spent as much time as he could being Papa Jim. Jim grew up in Millbrook New York, attending the St. Joseph's School through the eighth grade. In 1972 his family relocated to Niskayuna New York. Jim graduated from Niskayuna High School in 1976. 

Jim was a natural athlete as a young man, and as a child he played organized sports morning, noon and night all through the year. He loved baseball, swimming, hockey, basketball, football and fishing. Later, while Jim was a student at Niskayuna, Jim played on the football team and he ran on the outdoor track team. As an adult Jim's passion became Golf. Jim also sailed in the Caribbean extensively with his very accomplished wife and life-partner Captain Jaye. Jim was a very hard-working man. As a young man out of high school he and one of his best friends, Edward (Ned) Scott, moved to Oklahoma to work in the oil fields. Later Jim became a demolition professional and worked in this field until his death. He work on and was present at many well-publicized demolition 'events', including the demolition of several famous football stadiums including the Three Rivers Stadium and the Seattle King Dome, as well as 'The Sands' Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. 

Jim was well-loved among other professionals in the demolition industry and he was proud of his accomplishments in the industry. Jim's son Joe worked along side his Dad and was his best fishing buddy! Jim was sweet, funny, fearless, passionate and generous to a fault. His warmth and wit touched your soul. Jim was a 'friend-for-life' kinda guy. Jim had many amazing adventures with his friends. His life was charmed, to say the least. He truly had nine lives: all nine of which he lived to the utmost. His family and close friends all share stories which will continue to be well told in his memory. His beloved friend Pat Mion will have more stories than you have time. And every single one of them is hilarious. 

They were a team from day one when they met in high school. With Jim at his side, his brother from another mother Ned Scott, and he caused sound waves across the country through the years. Jimmy, you have left a void that will remain forever. You left us far too soon, and filled with terrible grief, but before you left you gifted those around you with enough true love, camaraderie and laughter to get us all through this terrible loss. Farewell to you dear sweet brother, we wish you smooth roads and fair seas until we meet again.

Published in The Daily Gazette Co. on Dec. 15, 2016

18 German senior citizens burn to death, 30 seriously injured after a bus slammed into the back of a truck that had slowed for a traffic jam and burst into flame on the A9 near Muenchberg, north of Nuremberg

BERLIN, GERMANY -- A bus carrying German seniors on holiday slammed into the back of a truck that had slowed for a traffic jam and burst into flame Monday, killing 18 people on a major highway in Bavaria, authorities said.

More than two dozen people who were hurt escaped the bus before it became fully engulfed in fire, police said. By the time the blaze was put out, only the vehicle's charred, twisted frame remained.

The bus from the eastern state of Saxony rear-ended the trailer-truck on the A9 near Muenchberg, north of Nuremberg and not far from the Czech border. Of the 30 people injured, at least two were reported in life-threatening condition, authorities said.

"After we got there, nobody else got off the bus," Muenchberg firefighter Andreas Hentschel told the dpa news agency.

The accident occurred at around 7 a.m., when there was no rain and visibility was good. The investigation, which included prosecutors, was looking into what type of cargo the truck was hauling, police said.

The bus driver was among the dead. The truck driver was not injured, police said.

The rest of the fatalities were men and women between 66 and 81 years old, police said.

A total of 48 people were on the bus, including two drivers. The passengers were primarily from Saxony.

Some 200 first responders rushed to the scene, and five helicopters whisked the injured to nearby hospitals. Simple wooden coffins were wheeled in for the remains recovered from the bus.

When firefighters first arrived, the fire was so hot that they could not get anywhere close to the burning bus to rescue those stuck inside, Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters at the crash site.

"All they could do was extinguish the fire," he said. The heat was so intense that it destroyed the entire bus and everything inside except for the steel frame. 




================




BERLIN (CNN) - Eighteen people have died and two others remain in "grave danger" following a bus crash in Germany, according to the Bavarian Interior Ministry.


Thirty other people suffered injuries in the Monday morning crash, a statement from the local authority said.

Earlier, German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters that emergency services had recovered 11 bodies from the crash in Bavaria. After the collision, the bus caught on fire and the flames were "so strong that only steel parts" were still recognizable, Dobrindt added.

The collision occurred at 7 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET) on the A9 road in the eastern part of the country, near Nuremberg.

Steffen Seibert, a spokesman for the German government, said Chancellor Angela Merkel had expressed her great dismay at the incident.

"We know there are a large number of killed and many injured. In these hours our thoughts are with the families of the victims and of course we wish all those who were injured a speedy recovery from the bottom of our hearts," Seibert tweeted in the aftermath of the incident.

He added, "We want to thank the first responders," saying their work is vital in tragic situations like the bus crash

The death of Kelton M. Kennedy, 27, a West Linn, Oregon man electrocuted last week after he climbed a Southeast Portland utility pole was ruled a suicide

Updated on July 3, 2017 at 9:56 AM

 These are images from his Facebook pages.  Obviously the guy was mentally ill.  He went to join his ghosts before killing somebody.  Good job Kelton.  RIP.

By Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

The Oregonian/OregonLive



The death of a West Linn man electrocuted last week after he climbed a Southeast Portland utility pole was ruled a suicide by the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office.

Kelton M. Kennedy, 27, had a history of "documented mental health crisis," according to Portland police.

Officers found Kennedy last Wednesday evening dangling about halfway up the pole near Southeast 122nd Avenue and Stark Street. Witnesses said he had been pulled at power lines . Kennedy died at the scene.



==============


Man electrocuted on power lines in SE Portland


Updated on June 29, 2017

By Samantha Matsumoto

smatsumoto@oregonian.com,

The Oregonian/OregonLive

A man was electrocuted on power lines in Southeast Portland after he climbed a utility pole Wednesday evening, Portland police said. Police believe the man is dead.

The man reportedly was pulling at wires attached to the pole on the northeast corner of the intersection of Southeast 122nd Avenue and Stark Street, police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson said.

When officers arrived shortly before 5 p.m., they reported the man was dangling about halfway up the pole and was likely being electrocuted.

Portland General Electric and Portland Fire and Rescue are working to get the man down. He is not showing any signs of life, Simpson said.

The intersection is closed to all traffic and there may be a power outage in the area, Simpson said. This story will be updated.


===============




PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -

A man was likely electrocuted after climbing a utility pole and pulling on wires in southeast Portland, according to police.

Emergency crews responded to Southeast 122nd Avenue and Stark Street at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday.

Witnesses said a man climbed a utility pole and was seen throwing items from his pockets before pulling on wires and other items attached to the pole.

When officers arrived, they said the man appeared to be getting electrocuted. He was then showing no signs of life.

Crews from Portland General Electric and Portland Fire & Rescue were working on how to safely get the man down from the wires.

The intersection was closed to all traffic while crews shut down power.

PGE crews were able to shut down the power and retrieve the man's body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.The Oregon State Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy Thursday to determine the man's identity and official cause of death

A West Virginia Division of Highways worker was injured in Taylor County when a truck hauling hay rear-ended the DOH dump truck he was operating in a work zone

DOH Worker Injured in Rear-end Collision
Posted by Alex Wiederspiel on July 2, 2017 in AJR News Network


GRAFTON, W.Va. — A state Division of Highways worker was injured Friday morning in Taylor County when a truck hauling hay rear-ended the DOH dump truck he was operating in a work zone, authorities said.

The driver of the truck hauling a heavy load of hay apparently lost his brakes at around 10:30 a.m. on U.S. Route 119 about three miles north of the Four Corners intersection, DOH Communications Specialist Carrie Jones said.

“We were ditching in the area,” Jones said.

The worker injured was operating the dump truck behind the ditching machine. He was taken by HealthNet Helicopter to Ruby Memorial Hospital. Jones said the worker is expected to make a full recovery.

Traffic was backed up for several hours.

State police are investigating. 



=================



A Division of Highways worker was injured in an accident Friday morning in Taylor County.

The accident happened just before 10:30 a.m. in a construction zone on U.S. Route 119, three miles north of the Four Corners intersection.

DOH workers said a truck hauling large, round bales of hay lost its brakes and hit a piece of DOH equipment, injuring the operator, according to officials on scene.

The worker was flown to a hospital by HealthNet with serious injuries, officials said.

Traffic was affected in both directions for several miles.

The Grafton Volunteer Fire Department, Taylor County EMS, and the West Virginia State Police all responded to the scene.

1 employee injured after a boiler explosion at Darling Ingredients Inc. in Paducah, KY.

UPDATE 1:43 p.m. : Paducah Police Department has confirmed the explosion at Darling Ingredients Inc. in Paducah, KY. 

They said one employee sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. 

Paducah public information officer Pam Spencer said in a release that North 10th Street between Fluornoy and Northview Streets is currently closed to traffic. 

She said Atmos Energy has capped the gas connection to the plant for safety precautions and that work is underway to inspect the structural integrity of the damaged section of the building. She said seventeen employees and the plant manager were working at the plant at the time of the explosion.

Crews are responding to an explosion at a pet food processing plant in western Kentucky that injured a worker. Paducah Fire Department spokeswoman Pam Spencer told West Kentucky Star that a boiler exploded, injuring one worker, though not seriously, and sending debris across the street.

Emergency crews have set up a two-block perimeter around the scene, though Spencer said there's no longer any immediate danger. For safety precautions, Atmos Energy has capped the gas connection to the plant. Work is underway to inspect the structural integrity of the damaged section of the building.



=============



PADUCAH, KY -

Emergency crews are responding to an explosion at a plant in Paducah.

That's according to McCracken County Emergency Management Director Jerome Mansfield.

They are at the Darling Ingredients, Inc. plant at 1350 North 10th Street.

City spokesperson Pam Spencer says they believe a boiler exploded.

A two-block perimeter has been set up around the plant, and residents have been asked to evacuate the area.

Paducah police say one employee at the plant had minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital.

The plant produces wet pet food ingredients.

We will be updating this story.



Darling Ingredients has released the following statement regarding an incident at our facility in Paducah, Kentucky, earlier today.

Boone Block, 34, a former Montana Transportation employee, sentenced for fraudulent workers' comp report after attempting to fraudulently obtain workers’ compensation from his employer for a knee injury that he did not actually receive on the job.

Updated: Jul 03, 2017 1:49 PM EST

BILLINGS, MONTANA -

A former state employee recently pleaded guilty to attempting to fraudulently obtain workers’ compensation from his employer for a knee injury that he did not actually receive on the job.

Boone Block, 34, of Clyde Park pleaded guilty in Montana District Court in Helena in late June to one count of making a false claim to public agency, which is a felony offense.

Block claimed he suffered a work-related injury in February of 2016 when he injured his knee while working for the Montana Department of Transportation in Livingston.

He had claimed he was injured when he jumped out of a truck while at work.

Block was approved for temporary total disability benefits based on his doctor’s conclusion that he could not return to work due to the injury.

The Montana State Fund received a tip to its fraud hotline in March of that year stating that Block actually injured himself while riding his motorcycle at a track in Bozeman.  This moron had even posted many photos in his web pages where he rides motorcycles for sport in rough terrain.  We caught the crook!

The allegations were forwarded to the Montana Department of Justice for review and further investigation.

Witnesses interviewed reported that they saw Block become injured at the motocross track.

Block has been ordered to pay $3,000 in fines and was given a 3-year deferred sentence.

“At a time when State agencies are being asked to do more with less, it’s particularly troublesome that a public employee would engage in this type of fraudulent behavior,” said Montana Attorney General Tim Fox in a press release.

“This case is a good example of how vigilant and honest Montana citizens can alert authorities to bogus claims and help conserve work comp monies for injured workers who truly need assistance with medical expenses and lost wages," said Fox.

==================





A state employee who said he got hurt at work and claimed disability from the state's workers' compensation insurer, but was actually injured riding a motorcycle at a Bozeman racetrack, has admitted to a felony and will pay a $3,000 fine.


Boone Block, 34, of Clyde Park, pleaded guilty June 14 to false claim to a public agency. He was also given a three-year suspended sentence. He had previously pleaded not guilty and was facing a jury trial.


Block said he was hurt at work on Feb. 26, 2016, while working for the state Department of Transportation in Livingston. He submitted a workers' compensation claim to the State Fund, saying he jumped off the back of a work truck and hurt his right knee.


One of Block's co-workers said he didn't see Block get hurt that day, but Block did tell him he was going to ride his motorcycle over the weekend, court documents state. Block called his supervisor on Feb. 27, a Saturday and said he was hurt at work the day before. On Sunday Block went to the emergency room at the hospital in Livingston. He saw another doctor March 3. He told both doctors he hurt his knee jumping out of a work truck.


State Fund approved temporary total disability based on doctors' statements Block was too hurt to return to work because of his knee injury. State Fund started paying Block's medical bills and set aside more than $30,000 in reserves to pay for Block's lost wages and treatment.


But on March 2, State Fund got a tip through its fraud hotline saying Brock was hurt on a motorcycle. Block told a State Fund investigator he did not ride a motorcycle that Saturday, but did leave the house to buy his girlfriend a bicycle. A State Fund investigator interviewed the owner of Hyline Raceway in Bozeman, where Block had purchased a membership the day before.


A motorcycle shop owner also told the investigator he sold a Honda motorcycle to Block and his girlfriend that Saturday morning and that the girlfriend said she was not going to ride the bike, but planned to watch Block ride.


Finally, the investigator contacted a man who was riding his motorcycle at Hyline Raceway that Saturday who said he saw a man arrive with two motorcycles in the back of a truck. The man was with a woman, who stayed in the vehicle the whole time. The man who was at the track said that after a while the other man approached him and said he had just injured his knee. The man appeared to be in significant pain and could barely stand on the leg.


On March 10, Block called State Fund and withdrew his workers' compensation claim because of the investigation.


“At a time when state agencies are being asked to do more with less, it’s particularly troublesome that a public employee would engage in this type of fraudulent behavior,” said Montana Attorney General Tim Fox. “This case is a good example of how vigilant and honest Montana citizens can alert authorities to bogus claims and help conserve work comp monies for injured workers who truly need assistance with medical expenses and lost wages.”

People are urged not to swim to the newly formed Shelly Island. after crews recently rescued five people from the water there

Warning about new island on NC coast (Chadonka/Instagram)

Monday, July 03, 2017 07:49AM

With all the excitement surrounding the new island that has appeared off our coast, North Carolina officials are issuing a warning.

It's being called Shelly Island. And because of the changing tides of the Atlantic Ocean, beach goers at Cape Hatteras' Cape Point can now trek to the newly formed land.

However, the island is surrounded by strong currents and sharks, according to officials.

Authorities are urging people not to swim to it after crews recently rescued five people from the water there.

Visitors are flocking to the island for its abundance of sea shells.

If you go, authorities say you should kayak and not swim.

Dee Ann Haney, a Texas City commissioner, charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter in a crash that killed Van Duoc Le, 59, and his son Phue Hong Le, 33 on northbound I-45 near the Galveston Causeway

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) --

A Texas City commissioner charged in a crash that killed a father and his son has been released from custody. Authorities say she admitted to smoking marijuana before the incident.

Authorities held Dee Ann Haney after the crash on northbound I-45 near the Galveston Causeway at 12:55 a.m. Monday.

Law enforcement at the scene said two men were standing outside of a stopped black truck when a woman in another pickup hit them. The men died from the crash.

Police said the men and another person were trying to secure items in the bed of the truck when the crash happened. Authorities identified the men killed as Van Duoc Le, 59, and his son Phue Hong Le, 33.

The woman in the other truck was taken to a nearby hospital and then booked into Galveston County Jail. Authorities said the driver, who was identified as 54-year-old Haney, is being charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter in connection with the crash.

In a probable cause affidavit, a trooper told investigators that Haney was under the influence of marijuana and that she admitted to smoking pot before the crash. Troopers determined marijuana intoxication after a field sobriety test.

A magistrate judge set Haney's bond at $100,000. As part of the conditions, Haney will have to install a breathalyzer in her vehicle. Additionally, she is not allowed into any place that serves primarily alcohol.

Texas City Mayor Matthew Doyle confirmed to Eyewitness News that Haney is a sitting commissioner-at-large for the city. The mayor is out of the country and did not immediately comment on the crash.

Haney is also an employee of Texas A&M University at Galveston, working as a lab safety and training coordinator.

The university released a statement following the crash:

"We learned this morning that an employee of Texas A&M University at Galveston, Dee Ann Haney, was involved in a vehicle accident last night that resulted in two deaths. Our deepest condolences go to the families of those who lost their lives."

Northbound Gulf Freeway was shut down heading out of the island for hours during the investigation. 

Most of the drunk or drug-related accidents occur in the early a.m. hours, like this one.  Look at that stoner face! 

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GALVESTON, Texas – A Texas City Commissioner has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in an auto-pedestrian accident that left a father and son dead overnight.

According to the Galveston Police Department, Dee Ann Haney, 54, has been charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter in fatal accident that happened just after midnight Monday along Interstate 45 near Galveston Causeway. 


When police arrived at the scene of the accident, they found a black Toyota Tacoma pulled over to the right shoulder. They then found the two victims, a 59-year-old Van Duoc Le and his 33-year-old son Phue Hong Le, in a grassy area along the right shoulder of the freeway.

The father's son-in-law told police that the Tacoma was pulled over to the right shoulder of the roadway, and the father and son were standing along the driver’s side of the vehicle.

The son-in-law was attempting to secure items in the bed of the truck, when the white Ford F-150 driven by Haney was traveling northbound in the far right lane.

Police said the F-150 veered over to the shoulder and struck the father and son.
Haney was detained at the scene on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Police said that after a battery of tests conducted by both GPD and Texas DPS Troopers, Haney was arrested.

Court documents also state that she admitted to smoking marijuana before the crash happened.


Haney was released on bonds totaling to $100,000, police said.

The judge said that she must install a Breathalyzer in her car that requires her to blow into it before the vehicle is allowed the start. She is also not allowed to any place which has a primary purpose of selling alcohol like a bar.

Haney has holds an at-large seat on the Texas City Commission. She also serves as the safety coordinator providing oversight for Lab Safety and Student/Employee Safety Training at Texas A&M University at Galveston.

The university released the following statement late Monday morning: 

“We learned this morning an employee of Texas A&M at Galveston, Dee Ann Haney, was involved in a vehicle accident last night that resulted in two deaths. Our deepest condolences go to the families of those who lost their lives.”

Later in the morning, the university said that Haney had been suspended for five days which rolls over into 30 if the issue is not resolved. They added it was standard practice.