Palo Alto Utility Worker Killed In Accident Was A Father, Veteran

PALO ALTO, CA — The city utilities worker who died Saturday following a transformer accident was a 42-year-old father of four in his first month working for the City of Palo Alto.

Donatus Okhomina, whose identity was announced by the city Sunday, is survived by his wife and four daughters, who are 17, 14, 11 and six years old, according to the city. A GoFundMe set up to support Okhomina's family had raised more than $2,000 Sunday afternoon.

Okhomina, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, began working for the city earlier this month as a utility line person. A long-time electrical lineman, he had previously worked for Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the city of Palo Alto said.

The fatal accident occurred Saturday morning on East Meadow Drive, as a crew worked on a service request to upgrade an electrical transformer that serves Covenant Presbyterian Church. Okhomina was injured on site and later died at a hospital, the city said.

The city has not specified whether Okhomina was electrocuted or if he suffered another injury. No other workers were injured during the accident.

The city utilities department is assisting the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration with a review of the accident, the city said. Flags will be flown at at half-staff at city facilities to honor Okhomina.