Darrell Sheriff, Jackson, Mississippi man killed after dump truck he was fixing full of hot asphalt suddenly falls and unloads on independent contractor in work accident.
A 41 year old Mississippi man was killed on Monday while repairing a dump truck when scalding hot asphalt fell on him.
Darrell Sheriff, of Jackson, MS, was trying to fix a dump truck loaded with ‘hot asphalt’ when officers responded to a call about an accident about 10:30 a.m.
Officers found the private contractor, who was tasked with picking up asphalt, ‘buried under hot asphalt,’ Police Chief Joseph Wade said in a Facebook release.
Family man trying to make a living killed
‘The vehicle actually unloaded all this hot asphalt onto him,’ Wade said.
‘It appeared to be some type of malfunction with his dump truck,’ the official said.
He was fixing the dump truck when the asphalt spilled onto him, Wade reiterated.
Wade said members of Sheriff’s family were at the scene.
‘There was some individuals on scene that tried to help him,’ Wade said during a press conference.
‘They said he tried to fight to make it through those injuries, but they were just too enormous for him to survive.’
Family members said Sheriff was a good man who was trying to make a living, according to Wade.
‘With the holidays coming up, to lose this gentleman, who was out here just trying to make a living,’ Wade shared.
‘They’re really hurt, but we’re going to be here to support them and uplift them in prayer.’
The police department said they are conducting an in-depth investigation but believe Sheriff’s death is classified as an accident.
‘It appeared to be some type of malfunction with his dump truck,’ Wade said.
