Jonathan Swarthout dies in fatal Fresno County excavator accident
Fatal Fresno County excavator accident death of Jonathan Swarthout
The Fresno County Coroner’s Office officially released the name of the man who tragically passed away after being pinned inside a large excavation machine on Tuesday. The deceased is identified as Jonathan Swarthout, a 35-year-old resident of Los Banos who was married and had four children. His untimely death occurred when the excavator he was controlling overturned unexpectedly during rock extraction operations.
This heartbreaking incident unfolded on Tuesday morning at the Academy Quarry, situated along Tollhouse Road in Fresno County. According to information gathered by the local sheriff’s department, Mr. Swarthout was engaged in loading rocks into a dump truck when the equipment lost stability and turned over, striking a large boulder. The force of the collapse crushed the operator’s compartment against the rock formation, leaving him severely trapped.
Emergency responders arrived at the accident site shortly before 8 a.m. They found Mr. Swarthout pinned between the excavator and the natural obstruction. Despite the valiant efforts of the rescue teams, the severe injuries sustained during the equipment failure were ultimately fatal, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
To ensure workplace safety standards are thoroughly examined, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate workplace tragedy.
