Family of worker killed in Polk Co. landfill calls for bulldozer operator to be charged

BARTOW, Fla. (WFLA) — The family of a landfill worker who was killed in Polk County and their supporters said they want justice for what they phone a “negligent homicide.”

On March 4, 2022, 40-calendar year-aged Aaron Henderson of Winter Haven was in a porta-potty when he was crushed by a bulldozer that night, in accordance to the Polk County Sheriff’s Business office. Henderson was an worker of CertiTemp, an company that was contracted by the county.

The sheriff’s business office explained an unnamed bulldozer operator was transferring his rig to park it at the conclusion of the perform working day when he turned and heard a crumbling audio as he rolled above Henderson’s porta-potty.

In accordance to the deputies, the bulldozer’s blade was elevated and blocked the entrance look at of the rig. The driver also was not informed of the porta-potty inside the staging region, authorities reported.

Though authorities reported there was no evidence of legal perform, Henderson’s household and Black Lives Issue Restoration Polk Inc. disagreed.

“We do not agree with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office that Mr. Henderson’s death was an excusable incident,” a BLM release stated. “OSHA has quite rigorous weighty devices safety recommendations and restrictions that had been not adopted or enforced on the night Mr. Henderson shed his life and we are self-assured that the proof that was presented reveals inexcusable gross negligence of the bulldozer operator.”

Sheriff Grady Judd told 8 On Your Facet Tuesday that although it is unhappy that Henderson misplaced his everyday living, the incident was not a felony function.

“It was a horrific tragedy,” Judd reported. “It was an industrial incident, and which is what it is. We really don’t place people in jail for accidents.”

Judd also addressed rumors that Henderson and the bulldozer driver experienced an ongoing conflict with each individual other, indicating there was no proof of this kind of a issue at this stage of the investigation.

He also said the driver was deeply influenced by Henderson’s death.

“The bulldozer operator was totally devastated, as we all are,” the sheriff reported. “No one particular likes to see any kind of death, but certainly when men are out performing, earning a dwelling, to have an industrial dying is surprising to say the the very least.”

While the sheriff’s stated there was no evidence of criminality, Judd explained that does not necessarily mean that an individual could not go after civil litigation to deal with office protocols that led to Henderson’s demise.

Even so, supporters of the family stated they consider a legal demand is needed to cure the loss of existence.

“Mr. Henderson’s mother, Ms. Mable Harvey, is gravely ill, and was just lately admitted to hospice treatment,” the BLM assertion mentioned. “Every working day that passes and the person dependable for her son’s dying is not held accountable and formally charged with negligent murder, delivers more grief to Mrs. Harvey and the complete Henderson spouse and children.”

According to BLM advocates, the Henderson spouse and children has retained the solutions of the Benjamin Crump Regulation Agency to deal with their grievances. Crump was also a short while ago retained by the family members of the teenager who fell from a journey in an Orlando topic park.

Black Life Make any difference Restoration Polk Inc. reported it planned to keep a press convention with Henderson’s family members at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at the courthouse in Bartow.