Man Crushed By Ramp Owned Excavation, Demo Company: Police

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A 53-year-old man who was found dead under a trailer ramp along North Milwaukee Avenue in unincorporated Vernon Hills has been identified as Wladyslaw Dziedzic of Libertyville. Dziedzic owned an excavation and demolition company, authorities said.

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local police are investigating the incident, which happened in a parking lot in the 24800 block of North Milwaukee Avenue early Thursday, police said.

It appears Wladyslaw was crushed under the ramp in a work-related accident, and foul play is not suspected. Wladsylaw's body was found at about 6:30 a.m. underneath the trailer ramp.

Wladyslaw arrived there earlier in the day to remove a Komatsu Excavator from a trailer so the trailer could be taken to a worksite, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

After he removed the excavator, authorities believe he used the bucket on the excavator and chains to raise the trailer ramps, which weigh about 300 pounds each. While walking to latch the ramps to the trailer, authorities believe the chain slipped, causing the chain to free from the ramps, according to the news release.

The ramps fell and one of them landed on top of the man, likely crushing his torso, police said.

According to preliminary results from Wladyslaw's autopsy, it appears he died from blunt force injuries.