Victim Identified in Tragic Construction Site Accident

West Haven, CT — Officials have identified the victim of Tuesday’s fatal construction site accident on the West Haven-New Haven line as Donald “Cary” Smith, 56, of Bethany, according to the New Haven Register.

The Register reports Smith’s cause of death was ruled as accidental from blunt trauma of the head, torso and lower left extremity, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

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Emergency crews responded to the active construction site near 2 Boston Post Road (Route 1) after a worker was struck by a payloader and somehow ended up in a truck carrying hot asphalt.

Smith was a longtime employee of West Haven-based Pereira & Sons Construction.

West Haven Police and the Allington Fire District department responded to an active construction site near 2 Boston Post Road at about 12 noon.

Police said at the time that the victim suffered severe injuries when he was struck by a backhoe-type piece of equipment.

The worker was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, according to WTNH News 8.

The area was closed for hours as police conducted an investigation.