A weekend repair job turned deadly in Phoenix when a man was crushed by the car he was working on, according to police. Officers were called to the area near Baseline Road and 40th Street on Saturday and found the victim unresponsive at the scene. Phoenix police said the incident appears to be accidental. The man has not been publicly identified, and authorities have not released any additional details.
According to 12News, officers arrived to find the man beneath the vehicle. Investigators characterized the death as accidental and did not provide further information.
How these crushes usually happen
According to NIOSH FACE reports, deadly crush incidents under vehicles often follow jack slips, failed jack stands or vehicles rolling when wheels are not properly chocked. Those investigations repeatedly recommend using certified jack stands, wheel chocks, stable, level surfaces and other cribbing to support loads before anyone goes underneath a vehicle. Safety experts say sticking to those precautions is the most reliable way to avoid the kind of catastrophic failures that result in deaths like this one.
Safety rules and investigations to expect
If a death happens during vehicle maintenance at a workplace, federal and state safety regulators can get involved and employers may face inspections or citations if standards were not met. OSHA guidance stresses proper equipment, training and procedures to prevent caught-under and other vehicle-related fatalities. Local investigators and the county medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death as the police inquiry continues.
Phoenix police have not released the victim's name or additional specifics. This story will be updated if the department or other officials provide more information.
