Tracy Chatman
Chesapeake, Va. - The family of Tracy Chatman says he was the man who was killed in an industrial accident in Chesapeake last week.
Police say he was run over by a large crane at Coastal Precast System in Chesapeake.
The incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. on April 19 at the company’s facility in the 1300 block of Yacht Drive, off Bainbridge Boulevard.
Chatman's niece, Sharon Wiggins', says she wants answers on how this happened to her uncle.
"I need to understand. What didn't they do? Why did he get crushed like that?" she said.
She told NewsChannel 3, his back was turned to the crane while he was using a wheel barrel.
"That is a huge machine. There's no way that someone wasn't in place to prevent this. I want justice. I want to know what they didn't do to prevent this for my uncle. That's what I want to know," Wiggins told NewsChannel 3.
The victim was an employee of the company and was pronounced deceased at the scene, police say.
NewsChannel 3 questioned the Virginia OSHA branch on their findings, but they declined to comment until their investigation is complete.
Until then, Sharon continues to wonder what went wrong.
"I'm not going to see that smile again. I'm not going to be able to share with him or argue with him. He's gone," she said.
OSHA's website shows the company has had two serious violations in the past, and both were settled.
The company's general manager says, Chatman was the only person to die on the job throughout the 70 years they've been in business.
Coastal Precast Systems has a 35-acre site in Chesapeake on the Elizabeth River where they manufacture concrete products, including bridge and pier components, walls, and building structures.
NewsChannel 3's Gabriella DeLuca will have more on this story today. Follow her on Twitter for updates @GabriellaDeLuca
RELATED:
