Construction Worker Dies After Falling Off Asphalt Paving Machine and Being Run Over By It
A construction worker in Florida died on the job after a paving machine ran over him.
Ulysses Tolbert of Deltona was applying asphalt for a parking lot at a medical facility under construction on Tuesday when he fell off the equipment and was partially run over, according to the Orange City Police Department. He was 72.
Tolbert’s fellow construction crew members attempted to lift the paving machine off of him, but were unsuccessful. Authorities and first responders had to summon a heavy-duty wrecker to the scene to lift and remove Tolbert’s body.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“’s been working in the construction or asphalt business for approximately three decades,” Orange City Police Lt. Jason Sampsell told local news outlets at a press conference.
The cause for his fall remains unknown.
Want to keep up on the latest from PEOPLE? Sign up for our daily newsletter to get our best stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox.Tolbert’s close friends and loved ones remain heartbroken and shocked over the construction accident — and can’t believe what happened.
“Not to him, definitely not to him, that’s the sad part,” the godparents to Tolbert’s grandson said to local NBC affiliate WESH 2 News on Tuesday.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is currently undergoing an investigation.