Construction Worker Dies From Injuries In East Lyme Accident

EAST LYME, CT — A man who was critically injured while working on a construction job last week has died.

Darnell Parker died Tuesday, according to his loved ones.

The accident happened shortly after 10 a.m. on Aug. 20 in the vicinity of New Frontage Road and I-95 southbound, near the exit 74 offramp.

East Lyme Fire Chief William Bundy said the 54-year-old worker got trapped in concrete barriers and had to be extricated.

According to Bundy, the victim was initially taken to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

While there, the victim underwent surgery to control internal bleeding. He was then transferred to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he had been in critical condition for days before his passing.

The community has been raising money to help. A recently launched GoFundMe campaign, “Help Support Darnell Parker,” seeks to raise $12,000. As of Wednesday at 3 p.m., it had raised $4,932.

Campaign organizer Brittany Berube said Parker had suffered “devastating” injuries while working on a construction site.

In an update to the GoFundMe campaign Tuesday, she wrote, “We are sad to update that Darnell passed away this afternoon.”

The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said his death was an accident, with the cause being “complications of blunt force injury of torso including pelvic fractures.”

The campaign initially aimed to help him with medical expenses, lost income and rehabilitation. With his passing, funds raised may also be used to help his family with final and funeral expenses, according to the campaign.

The campaign describes the victim as someone who was “so much more than what happened to him.”

“He is a friend, a loved one, and someone who means the world to the people who know him,” the campaign states. “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for every donation, share, prayer, and kind word.”

Eva Zymaris, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, last week described the victim as a private construction worker, not a state employee. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is investigating the accident.

Erika B. Ruthman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Labor, said OSHA has six months to complete an investigation.

Visit the GoFundMe campaign HERE.

Read more:

Construction Worker Critically Injured In East Lyme Highway Accident