HWY17

[Drunk Monk]

Highway 17 mudslide worker killed by construction vehicle
Updated: 6:00 PM PST Feb 9, 2017

[/url]Phil Gomez  
Reporter

Amy Larson  
[url=http://www.ksbw.com/news-team/1c9850e0-d750-4ebb-bc78-f1de34dbe480]KSBW.com Digital Media Manager

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. —
Two Graniterock workers who were part of the crew attempting to clear a massive mudslide off Highway 17 in Scotts Valley were run over by a construction truck Thursday
KSBW Reporter Phil Gomez was at the mudslide reporting when the tragic accident happened at 12:10 p.m. 
Gomez said the two men were pinned under the truck's wheels, and one died minutes later. The killed worker was identified late Thursday afternoon as Robert Gill, 54, of Los Banos.
One Graniterock employee stood next to Gill's body crying, and in disbelief. 
"It's tremendously sad. It can affect all of us. These are people that are also putting their lives on the line every single day, to make the commute to Santa Cruz and San Jose easier," CHP Officer Trista Drake said.
The second injured worker, Stephen Whitmire of San Jose, was rushed to a hospital. He was conscious and talking to paramedics, Drake said.
Graniterock is based in Watsonville, and its workers were contracted by CalTrans for the week-long Highway 17 mudslide project. The driver had spent the morning hauling tons of rocks and mud from the mountainside, and was attempting to drive out of the construction site in reverse when his truck backed over Gill and Whitmire.

Graniterock
A Live Oak woman witnessed the men being run over. She began screaming and honking her horn, made a U-turn on Highway 17, and called out Phil Gomez's name because she recognized him from TV.
As soon as CHP officers, CalTrans workers, and Graniterock employees realized what just happened, they ran toward the victims and tried to save them. 
Emotions ran high at the gruesome scene. Whitmire was trapped under the truck for several tense minutes before he was freed and placed inside an ambulance.
Gomez said the construction truck driver, Daniel Harrington, 39, of Salinas, appeared very distraught. Harrington is employed by Watsonville-based Hildebrand Trucking.

The red truck on the right ran over the two workers.
Work on Highway 17 was immediately halted. CalTrans will not resume work until OSHA officials complete their investigation into what went wrong.
"We don't know exactly what happened, but are working with authorities to figure it out," Graniterock spokeswoman Shanna Crigger said.
CHP officers are continuing to allow motorists to pass through, with one lane open in each direction.
Crews have been attempting to clear the mudslide since Tuesday morning, when the slide landed on a passing pickup truck and flipped the pickup over during another storm.
The artery connecting Silicon Valley with Santa Cruz was shutdown Tuesday. A special excavation machine called "the spider" arrived Wednesday. The spider has special wheels that fold out on long, spider-like legs, which allow the earth-moving machine to climb steep mountainsides.
"This machinery allows us to access slopes that are basically inaccessible. Once he gets up there, it's a very slow methodical process so he can remove material, but also not cave in on himself or anyone," Drake said.
The dump truck that ran over the two workers was one of dozens working around-the-clock to haul tons of debris from the spider down from the mountain.
"This is the biggest slide I've seen" said CalTrans engineer Devin Porr said.
Another atmospheric river winter storm arrived moments after the accident. The Santa Cruz Mountains are forecast to get as much as four inches of rain from Thursday's storm.
Motorists attempting to drive over the hill during the afternoon rush hour should expect delays on Highway 17. Over on Soquel San Jose Road, another mudslide caused the mountain road to close in all directions near Olive Springs Road at 3 p.m.