Nineteen Year Old Woman Dies in Construction Accident in Bexar County

A 19 year-old woman died Monday, January 24, while working at a construction site in Bexar County, Texas. The accident happened along Potranco Road near Texas Research Parkway. Destiny Rodriguez was at the bottom of a fifteen foot hole when a backhoe operator dropped the digger into the hole, hitting and crushing her. She died at the scene. Rodriguez’s brother was also working with her at the bottom of the hole, but he had just climbed out to get another pipe when Rodriguez was killed.

Rodriguez was working for a company called Step It Up Construction. Prior to this tragic accident, the company had already been cited by OSHA twice in 2014 for serious violations: once for a safety violation and once for a water and sewer line violation. OSHA has confirmed that it has begun an investigation into this incident.

Destiny had complained about the company not following safety guidelines before the accident. According to her sister Rosa, Destiny was injured a week before her death when the same backhoe operator reportedly knocked her leg with the machinery. One of Destiny’s co-workers described the operator as “always careless.”

Construction companies have a duty to properly train and supervise their employees and a duty to provide a safe workplace. This duty is especially important when employees will be operating heavy machinery capable of causing serious injuries or death.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a construction accident, contact an experienced attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.