Death of dairy worker crushed while moving cattle is probed
State officials are investigating the death of an Ontario dairy worker crushed while moving cattle over the weekend.
Winston Perez, 28, suffered severe internal injuries after he was “crushed between a gate and the fence by the cows” about 5 a.m. Saturday at Dick Dykstra Dairy, the San Bernardino County coroner’s office and state officials said.
The Riverside man underwent surgery at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, but died in the intensive care unit later that day.
Cal/OSHA spokesman Peter Melton said state officials had no record of safety violations at the dairy. He said it would be “highly unusual” for the state to close a business under these circumstances, adding that such action probably would be taken only if there was an “imminent” danger to other workers.
“That does not seem to be the case,” Melton said.
State inspectors visited the site after the incident and have six months to complete their inquiry, Melton said. They will speak to the employer and other workers, and will look at the dairy’s safety plan to see if any violations occurred, he said.
A man who answered the phone at the dairy Tuesday morning declined to comment.
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