Iowa FACE Fatality Summaries: 2004

4-digit SOC coding from Standard Occupational Classification Manual. 1980. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Office of Federal Statistical Policy and Standards : [Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., distributor].

Summary Case Report: Victim was part of construction crew of Honduran immigrants who were working on the first floor laying subflooring at a construction site. The victim got too close to the edge and fell approximately 12 feet to the ground below. Victim was wearing a hard hat at the time of the fall. Language barrier may have played a role in this incident as the victim (as well as the majority of the crew) spoke very minimal English.

Summary Case Report: 50-year-old Hispanic male employee of a plastic molding company was shot in the chest while in the passenger seat of a vehicle in the company parking lot. The gun was fired at close range from within the same vehicle. Occupational homicide.

Summary Case Report: 41-year-old male social worker was found dead of a shotgun wound to the head by the local Police Department. Homicide was committed by an unknown assailant in a home where the victim was working.

Summary Case Report: 48-year-old owner of an embroidery company was in a dispute with a female employee and her husband. The owner was suddenly shot to death in his office by the husband, who then fatally shot himself at that same time and location.

Summary Case Report: 36-year-old Hispanic male was assisting other men at a meat packing plant to dismantle some machinery. He normally worked on the kill floor, but was called upon to assist with this task. Apparently some metal pieces fell to a level below, and the victim misunderstood his supervisor (Polish) and was crawling on top of an exposed auger, looking for screws that may have fallen into it. The breaker for this area was turned off at the time, but another worker had just recently turned it back on. Somehow the switch for this auger was turned back on also, and the victim, who was standing on the rendering auger, was caught in the auger. The victim suffered bilateral traumatic amputation of the legs above the knees, and died from hemorrhagic shock soon after being extricated from the machinery. Complete report and photographs

Summary Case Report: 45-year-old farmer was working with two other individuals to move corn out of a crib when he became entangled in an unguarded PTO shaft on a grain elevator. The entanglement was unwitnessed, but others present heard the tractor engine "bog down" and went to investigate. They found and freed the victim immediately and called 911. The victim suffered a traumatic amputation of his right lower leg and severe damage to his right leg from the knee to the groin, and severe chest injuries. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the local hospital. Complete report and photographs

Summary Case Report: Victim was a 49-year-old employee at a grain co-op, where he was believed to have been working on equipment (or possibly dislodging grain crust) inside a grain bin when he became trapped in the soybeans, which filled about 1/4 of the bin. He did have a co-worker stationed outside the bin and contacted him by radio saying he needed assistance. When the coworker entered the bin, the victim's hands and radio were all that were visible above the grain. It took several hours for fire department personnel to recover the victim's body from the bin.

Summary Case Report: 68-year-old truck driver was unloading equipment from flat bed of a semi at a bridge construction site when a strap broke and he fell approximately 5 feet to the concrete below. He suffered significant head trauma and damage to the cervical vertebrae. Victim died at the hospital from cardiac arrest 25 days following initial injury.

Summary Case Report: 22-year-old construction worker was standing on the back end of a crane while additional counterweights were being placed on the back of the crane by an excavator. The man was positioned between a vertical support on the back of the crane and the bucket of the excavator. While in a standing position, he was crushed against the crane by the excavator bucket, then he fell approximately 15 feet to the ground below, landing face down. He was conscious and oriented for a short time following the incident.

Summary Case Report: 57-year-old woman was helping her son with unspecified farming chores, when the tractor ran out of gas alongside a road. The son ran to get some gas from his truck nearby, and when he returned, he discovered his mother trapped under the top of the left rear tire and the bottom of the left rear fender of the tractor. The incident was unwitnessed, but apparently the woman tried to start the tractor, which must have been in gear, and she then became caught by the rear wheel.

Summary Case Report: 36-year-old handyman was working at a cemetery trimming branches and removing a tree stump. The stump had already been pulled from the ground, and the victim was simply cleaning up in the area. Using a chain, he secured the stump to the front end loader of an older tractor with a narrow front end. The victim was working on uneven ground, and as he raised the bucket to lift the stump, the tractor overturned, coming to rest with its wheels in the air and the victim trapped beneath it. The tractor did not have a ROPS. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Full Report with Photos

Summary Case Report: 63-year-old farmer was operating a tractor on an incline at his farm when it overturned, pinning him underneath. The event was not witnessed and the victim was discovered by his wife several hours later. The tractor caught fire and burned for several hours before it was extinguished.

Summary Case Report: 65-year-old man was a volunteer custodian at a local school. While running a floor scrubber, he tripped over the cord and fell, hitting his head on a drinking fountain. Victim was transported to local hospital and subsequently discharged. He was readmitted later that same day and was admitted for intracranial hemorrhage. The man died 10 days later from complications.

Summary Case Report: 64-year-old farmer and part-time welder was repairing a broken hydraulic cylinder on a tandem axle farm trailer with a tilt box. The man was using the tines of skid loader to hold the box up while he worked under it, and had not chocked the wheels of the trailer or used any kind of props or supports under the wagon box. While working, the wagon apparently rolled backwards, and the dump box slid off the times and fell, crushing the victim between the running gear and the dump box. Full Report with Pictures

Summary Case Report: 41-year-old man was part of a group of volunteers who were laying sewer line between a school and the new concession stand. The man was in the bottom of a trench that had been dug when the wall collapsed, completely covering the victim. The victim was crouching at the time of the cave-in and was completely buried for 15 minutes. The cave-in also partially trapped two other men. Bystanders attempted to free him, but were unable to dig far enough down to get to him.

Summary Case Report: 47-year-old man was an employee at an injection molding facility who committed suicide with a handgun. Victim had been despondent following a break-in at his home several weeks earlier where the perpetrator was caught with his daughter's underwear. Victim had been scheduled to see a psychiatrist on the evening of his suicide, but did not show up for the appointment.

Summary Case Report: 12-year-old farmboy was assisting a farmer in hitching a hay wagon to the back of a truck when he was crushed between the wagon and the truck. The wagon was fully loaded with hay, and was resting on ground that appeared to be flat, therefore no wheels chocks were used on the wagon. However, when the boy lifted the tongue of the wagon, it started rolling forward slowly, and the boy was attempting to line up the tongue and insert the hitch pin. The wagon rolled forward just enough to crush the boys head against the bumper of the truck. The farmer did not feel anything while sitting in the truck, and after losing sight of the boy, went back to find him slumped over the tongue, which had dug itself back into the ground. Complete report and photographs

Summary Case Report: 58-year-old worker for a tractor manufacturing company was found dead in a company machine shop by co-workers. The man had hung himself using an electric chain hoist. He had a history of depression and anxiety.

Summary Case Report: 8-year-old farmboy had been helping his father with silage wagons in a farm field, using a four-wheeled ATV to drive back and forth from the house. After the day's work, while returning from the field in the dark, the boy apparently stopped along the road, then got back on the ATV, and before turning on the lights, rode it partially up a 4-foot embankment at the edge of the field, causing it to rollover. The boy was found by his father, pinned to the field drive by the handlebars of the full-size ATV, which had completely rolled over on him. Complete report and photographs

Summary Case Report: 53-year-old man, working for a scaffold company, was sent to get a part. After not returning, he was found in the bottom of a 1-person elevator / manlift. He apparently fell into the shaft, and fell three stories, landing head first in the hole at the bottom of the shaft. The man was working on the third level, and his hard hat was found on the second level. The fall was unwitnessed.

Summary Case Report: 53-year-old farmer was mowing tall grass in a field on his farm after dark, pulling a pto-driven shredder / mower (Bushog). The tractor's right front or rear tire struck a 12-14" high stump hidden by the tall grass. The victim was thrown off the left side of the tractor, and subsequently run over and trapped beneath the shredder mower pulled behind the tractor. He was last seen by a neighbor at around 7:00 p.m. and was found dead underneath the mower at approximately 10:00 p.m. Full Report with Photos

Summary Case Report: 70-year-old farmer was repairing a tractor when it slipped out of gear and ran over his right upper leg. The man was transported to local hospital by his son and later transferred to a regional hospital because of other pre-existing health problems. He developed serious complications during the course of treatment including multiple infections and suffered a stroke. He died about two months later from these complications.

Summary Case Report: 35-year-old worker for a petroleum company was working with a partner, cleaning a 15,000 gallon gasoline fuel tank at a bulk fuel plant that was no longer in operation, preparing the tank for salvage. The tank had recently been emptied of gasoline. The victim had entered the tank through an 18 inch entry port, without respirator or life line. He became disoriented in a few minutes, and his partner pulled him out. Then after a few minutes, the victim entered the same tank again, this time out of reach of his partner. The co-worker entered the tank to help the victim, but was quickly overcome himself. He was rescued by a third worker, and was transported to the hospital, treated and released.

Summary Case Report: 55-year-old construction inspector was working at a highway construction project when he was run over. The man was walking along a dirt construction road at the base of a small hill, at a curve in the road. At the time of the incident, the front loader bucket was filled with crushed rock. Victim was walking in front and to the right of the end loader when he was struck in the head by the bucket and flipped in the air. The victim landed face down and was run over by the right back tire and killed instantly. The driver of the Cat was unaware of the accident and continued driving. He stated that the cab was enclosed and he could not hear any outside noise. When turning on the road, apparently his right corner vision was blocked by his cab and raised bucket, and he did not see the victim.

Summary Case Report: 38-year-old truck driver was working with a partner, loading large wooden cases of glass into an open semi-trailer, using an overhead crane. Each case weighed approximately 4225 pounds. The glass was being loaded when either a strap broke or trailer clip fell off, and the case fell forward onto the victim, who was not able to get out the way. The victim was working close to the front of the trailer, and there was no room for him to jump out of the way of the falling crate. The emergency response team at the facility attempted to lift the case off the victim, but the glass broke and buried the victim. Extrication took approximately 45 minutes.

Summary Case Report: 60-year-old farmer was mowing a roadside ditch when he struck a culvert and was thrown from the tractor. The tractor veered to the right and drove over him, trapping him beneath the wheels.

Summary Case Report: 32-year-old worker for a tank car company was working inside a railroad tank car when he collapsed. Incident was unwitnessed. It is unknown what had previously been transported in the car where the victim was found, but it may have been corn syrup or sulfuric or hydrochloric acid.

Summary Case Report: 34-year-old owner of an excavating company was kneeling in a 9-foot-deep trench that had been dug to lay sewer and water lines to a new home. The wall of the trench caved-in, and he was buried waist deep, and was freed within 15 minutes. It is believed that increased soil moisture from recent rain contributed to the cave-in, as well as to the severity of the victim's injuries, which included laceration of the renal and iliac arteries, fractured ribs and pelvis, and lacerated bladder and rectum. Victim died en route to the hospital via helicopter.

Summary Case Report: 39-year-old driver of a semi truck was carrying food and paper products. He swerved to miss a deer on the road, and lost control, flipping the truck over a guardrail where it caught fire. The victim suffered serious burns to 97% of his body and died later that day.

Summary Case Report: 51-year-old maintenance man at a meat packing plant was standing on a ladder when he became dizzy and fell approximately 4 feet to the floor. He sustained a fracture of the L1-L2 spine, and ultimately died from medical complications. The man was obese and had multiple medical problems that contributed to multi- failure.

Summary Case Report: 45-year-old owner of a mobile home moving / repair company was preparing to move a mobile home at the time of the incident. The man had not disconnected the electricity to the home before he began work. While jacking up the home, holding on to the handle to the jack, the man was electrocuted. Victim was wearing rubber gloves but did not have a rubber pad beneath him as he was working. Just before the incident, a co-worker told him he had received a mild shock and thought there might be short. The mobile home did not have a grounding cable from the frame to the dirt.

Summary Case Report: 32-year-old laborer died when he fell from a catwalk. The man was working for a temporary employment agency, and was helping to construct a chicken house for a local business. He fell from a ladder landing on a mezzanine, sustaining head injuries. The man died four days later in a local hospital.

Summary Case Report: 37-year-old farmer was driving a tractor on his farm when it rolled over and pinned him against a tree.

Summary Case Report: 63-year-old farmer was using a torch to cut spring bolts on the underside of an old pickup truck. The truck was supported with a Hi-Lift jack on the rear, and the front wheels were blocked. The man was sitting under the truck when it shifted sideways. The jack slipped out, and the truck bent him forward at the waist, pinning him underneath. The man died from suffocation.

Summary Case Report: 46-year-old truckdriver was driving a semi loaded with groceries for delivery to food stores in Clinton and Maquoketa when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel and lost control. He hit a grain bin and the truck overturned and slid into a parked semi trailer.

Summary Case Report: 52-year-old owner of a metal working shop was working on a skid steer loader in his shop when he became trapped between the skid loader booms and the front of the skid loader. It appeared that at the time of the incident the victim was standing outside the machine, under the raised lift arms, working on something in the operator's compartment when something caused the booms to lower, crushing him against the frame of the machine. No blocks or jacks were used to secure the raised lift arms and prevent them from falling.
Complete report and photographs

Summary Case Report: 27-year-old worker at a tire company was checking an inflated combine tire when it exploded. The tire had previously been filled inside a protective cage, and the victim was apparently checking the tire again or preparing to add additional air. When the victim checked the filled tire laying on the floor, the bead failed and the sudden release of air blew the tire's rim, striking him in the head, chest and abdomen, throwing him into the air. Victim's dental imprint was left on the metal surface of the tire. The bead on the tire was evidently defective, causing it to seal improperly.

Summary Case Report: 44-year-old crop duster was spraying a field of soybeans when his plane crashed and burst into flames. It is believed the plane struck a stand of trees near the field and "pancaked" into the ground.

Summary Case Report: 50-year-old farmer held a second job as a route driver for mail delivery between post offices, and had held the job for the past two years. He began work at approximately 4:00 a.m. each day The victim apparently fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of the vehicle, crashing into a tree located approximately 170 feet from the roadway, at the bottom of a narrow S-curved road. The victim was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Summary Case Report: 30-year-old employee of a local crop production service was driving a "high boy" agricultural sprayer on a gravel road when it was struck by a train. The speed of the sprayer or the train is unknown. There were no visible obstructions present, nor was weather a factor.

Summary Case Report: 46-year-old painter was part of a crew working to repaint a water tower. The victim was re-positioning himself to come down the ladder from a work platform when he fell approximately 90 feet, suffering fatal injuries to his head and torso. It is believed the victim may have unhooked his harness to move to the ladder and descend when the fall occurred.

Summary Case Report: 66-year-old farm worker was climbing a grain bin ladder at 9:00 AM, when he fell from an unknown height.

Summary Case Report: 61-year-old electrician was installing lights in a museum, working from a scissors lift, when he was pinned between the rafters and the lift. Incident was unwitnessed. Victim died from compression of neck and chest resulting in asphyxia. He was completing work at this location, and did not request for a spotter to help him.

Summary Case Report: Two men, ages 30 and 20 (driver and passenger) were part of a National Guard convoy. Their truck was pulling a flatbed trailer with a second flatbed trailer on top. The truck veered off the road and rolled in a ditch, landing on its top, crushing both men inside. The incident occurred in daylight on dry pavement on a straight stretch of road.

Summary Case Report: 52-year-old man was a county employee driving a dump truck filled with gravel. The truck blew a tire and rolled over, ejecting the victim. The man was found approximately 50 feet from his vehicle, with fatal head and neck injuries

Summary Case Report: 65-year-old ironworker at a large construction site was struck by a steel beam suspended from a crane. The beam was 100 feet long and weighed 16 tons. The beam was very close to the ground, and was being turned over to attach another section to the beam. The man was simply on the wrong side of the beam when it was turned over.

Summary Case Report: 48-year-old farmer was pinned under his tractor when it overturned at his farm.

Summary Case Report: 25-year-old National Guardsman was driving a pickup truck to pick up and drop off parts and equipment. He swerved a few times, then crossed the centerline into the path of an oncoming semi truck and was struck head-on. The man was killed instantly. The accident occurred at 7:00 AM.

Summary Case Report: 83-year-old farmer was working with his son-in-law unloading corn from a grain bin on his farm. He climbed the bin ladder to inspect the progress while the son-in-law was moving a truck. When he returned, he noticed his father-in-law was missing, and assumed he was in the flowing grain. It took approximately two hours to get the bin emptied and find the body.

Summary Case Report: 78-year-old farmer was driving his tractor across a pasture when it overturned, pinning him underneath. Law enforcement suspects mechanical failure (unspecified) may have caused the accident.

Summary Case Report: 58-year-old man was driving a large rock hauler at a quarry. The truck went over an embankment and rolled over. The victim was not wearing a seatbelt, and was partially ejected from the truck, which crushed him across the chest.

Summary Case Report: 45-year-old farmer was working with his brother, using a grain vacuum to clear corn from a grain bin. The brother went to the elevator, and upon returning, saw that grain was overflowing a wagon. The victim had been working alone, vacuuming grain from the bin, and was nowhere to be found. According to victim's brother, approximately 8,000 bushels of corn remained in the 10,000 bushel bin at the time of the incident. It took approximately one hour to find and free the victim, buried under the grain. It is assumed that spoiled grain in the center of the bin shifted, trapping the man in the grain bin.

Summary Case Report: 31-year-old prison inmate on a work detail fell from a flatbed truck and broke his neck. The victim died two weeks after the incident.

Summary Case Report: 44-year-old farmer was cutting down trees on his farm with two other individuals. When cutting down the last tree (walnut), the chain saw became stuck. The victim hooked a chain to the tree with the other end attached to the rear of his tractor, planning to pull the tree slightly so he could remove his saw. When he started to pull on the tree, it snapped and fell over towards the tractor, striking him in the shoulder area of his back. He was quickly moved from under the tree and branches and a friend called 911 .

Summary Case Report: 48-year-old construction worker was working on a house when he fell. He sustained fatal head injuries.

Summary Case Report: 76-year-old landlord was using a chainsaw to trim tree branches that were on the roof of a rental property he owned. He fell from the roof to the ground, landing face down, suffering significant head and facial trauma.

Summary Case Report: 66-year-old farmer was driving a tricycle tractor with the front-end loader filled with corn. He drove through a ditch and the tractor overturned on him, crushing his chest, neck and head.

Summary Case Report: 43-year-old farmer was killed when his clothing was caught in the auger of a manure spreader, which was attached to the rear of this tractor. He was working alone when he was caught in the machinery of the spreader. The man died instantly from severe crushing injuries to his ribs and chest.

Summary Case Report: 45-year-old farmer was doing chores on his farm when the hood of his nylon jacket was caught on the exposed shaft on a conveyor belt tightener. The incident occurred in a shed between two silos. Switches for the conveyors and the silos were in a location which required the man to walk around the exposed end of the conveyor belt several times every day. The exposed conveyor shaft ends were three inches long, and turned rather slowly (180 rpm) and were not thought to be a hazard. There were no guards on the end of the conveyor belt. It appears his coat was wrapped around the shaft 4 or 5 times, and he died from strangulation. Complete report and photographs

Summary Case Report: 53-year-old farmer was feeding his herd of cows when his coat became tangled in the exposed end of a silage conveyor shaft, which strangled him. The machine guards had been removed prior to the incident. The shaft end was exposed for 2.5 inches, and had a keyway cut into the shaft, which created sharp corners on the end of the shaft. The exposed shaft was in a poor location, which required the farmer to crouch and walk under the conveyor belt to access switches for the feeding operation. Complete report and photographs

Summary Case Report: 44-year-old employee was working at a manufacturing facility that makes custom wire forms and components for appliances. His head became trapped in a plating machine and he died from the resulting injuries.

Summary Case Report: 26-year-old male was working for a dairy farmer and was driving an ATV-style utility hauler to a field when he crashed into a pickup truck coming the other direction. The victim was driving down the middle of the road when the truck crested a hill in front of him. The truck driver veered to his right, and the utility hauler driver veered to his left, and they hit nearly head on. The weather was clear and the road surface was dry.

Summary Case Report: 22-year-old male employee on a dairy farm was scooping out corn silage from a silage pit. The victim went on top of the pile to remove the tarp and clear out spoiled silage. He apparently lost his footing and fell approximately 25 feet into the pit,and then was buried in an avalanche of silage which fell on him. The victim was freed quickly by coworkers, but was unable to be resuscitated.

Summary Case Report: 76-year-old farmer was assisting a neighboring farmer loading large round bales of cornstalks onto a trailer attached to a pickup truck. The victim was waiting next to the truck for the next bale to be brought over when the truck, and possibly, the trailer rolled over the victim and down the hill (about 150 feet), coming to rest in a creek bed at the bottom of the hill. When the neighbor returned with the next bale, he found the victim unresponsive on the ground and the truck and trailer at the bottom of the hill. The truck was found to be in neutral after the incident.

Summary Case Report: 63-year-old driver for a truck leasing company was driving a truck which stalled at a railroad crossing. The truck was struck by a passing train and the victim died instantly.

Summary Case Report: 52-year-old nursing home administrator committed suicide in his office by strangulation with a plastic zip tie. There was evidence that he tried to free himself by cutting the tie with scissors, but was unable to do so before losing consciousness. The man had left a note for his girlfriend at home telling her to call the police and that he was at his office.

Summary Case Report: 45-year-old window technician working for a window service company died after falling from a ladder.

Summary Case Report: 76-year-old driver for an agribusiness died in a truck accident.

Summary Case Report: 36-year-old Iowa State prison corrections officer was participating in a charity run for special olympics. He was running with a partner down a state highway, being escorted at the rear by an Iowa State Patrol vehicle. A car approached behind the slow moving patrol car and swerved to the right shoulder to miss the patrol car. The driver then lost control of his car and swerved back into the lane of traffic, striking the victim.

Summary Case Report: 40-year-old truck driver died in a motor vehicle accident.

Summary Case Report: 43-year-old truck driver died in a motor vehicle accident.

Summary Case Report: 37-year-old man working for a stained glass company was working 20 feet off the ground at a church. He fell 8 feet to the scaffold level, then lay there for an indeterminate amount of time, then fell an additional 12 feet to the ground. The man died from aeortic rupture.

Summary Case Report: 29-year-old maintenance technician for a commercial farm died in a motor vehicle accident. He was driving a pickup truck down a 2-lane highway when another pickup truck crossed the centerline and collided head on with his truck. The victim was killed instantly

Summary Case Report: 45-year-old truckdriver working for an equipment hauling company, was hauling a crane to a construction site, using a flat bed trailer. After the crane was unloaded, the driver took some tools and went to repair some brakes on the trailer that were malfunctioning. He did not set a parking brake or use blocks under the wheels. The man was working in front of the first rear axle of the trailer when the trailer rolled backwards. The man's clothing became caught, and he was crushed with multiple injuries as the truck rolled back for 40 yards.

Summary Case Report: 70-year-old truck driver for an agricultural animal feed company died when he fell from his truck.

Summary Case Report: 24-year-old construction worker was standing on a scaffold installing steel trusses for a new building. One of the trusses slipped and knocked the man off the scaffold, and he fell 10-15 feet to a concrete floor. The man received multiple skull fractures and a pelvic fracture, and died a few days later.

Summary Case Report: A 31-year-old supervisor for a dock company and a 12-year-old boy, the son of the company owner, were working together to remove docks from a large lake. This was a seasonal task, and the pair were using a 28-foot barge. During windy conditions with high waves, the supervisor called for help reporting the barge was inoperable and was sinking. The barge eventually sank and both the man and the boy drowned. The boy's body was not recovered until eight months later.

Summary Case Report:

Summary Case Report: 58-year-old field technician for a animal feed company was killed in a motor vehicle accident.

Summary Case Report: 46-year-old truckdriver working for an Iowa county, was killed in a collision with another semi truck.

Summary Case Report: County employee was driving a road grader, when for an undetermined reason, he left his machine in the middle of the road, in operating position. He was apparently inspecting an open culvert next to the road and fell face down into the culvert, where he was found dead by passersby.

Summary Case Report: 64-year-old farmer was mowing a ditch on his farm when his tractor rolled over on top of him. He was alert and talking to his wife while EMS was working to lift the tractor off of him, but lost consciousness immediately after the tractor was raised. He had suffered several rib fractures and died soon after arriving at the hospital.

Summary Case Report: 77-year-old dairy farmer was feeding dairy cows when he was attacked by a 2000 pound bull. The bull knocked the man to the ground, then trampled on him, despite efforts of other family members to stop the bull. The farmer received multiple internal injuries and died a few days later in the hospital.

Summary Case Report: 52-year-old rural mail carrier was on his normal route when he ran a stop sign and was hit on the passenger side of his vehicle by a pickup truck. The victim received skull fractures and was killed immediately. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

Summary Case Report: 59-year-old truckdriver for a concrete company was driving a semi trailer of dry cement down an interstate highway when he crossed the median and the opposite lanes and crashed in a cornfield on the opposite side of the highway. The man was awake during rescue, but died later in the hospital from multiple injuries he sustained in the accident.