A federal grand jury this week indicted the supervisor of a construction crew on duty when a trench collapsed and killed an employee in 2017 for allegedly lying to investigators about what safety equipment was in place at the time of the collapse.
Donald Bosley, 67, faces one count of making false statements to the government, according to the indictment against him.
Bosley was supervising a crew of three employees digging a trench to install a sewer pipe May 22, 2017, in Rostraver when the trench collapsed, killing one of the men.
Federal regulations dictate that, because of the depth of the trench, a trench box would have been required to be placed inside where employees were working, according to the indictment. A trench box consists of two side pieces connected with adjustable cross bars, and it is used to keep the walls of the trench from falling in.
The indictment alleges a trench box was at the work site the day of the collapse, but it wasn’t in the trench when Vaughn Kopetsky and another employee were working in it.
The trench collapsed, killing 60-year-old Kopetsky.
Bosley allegedly ordered one of the other employees to put the trench box in the trench before first responders arrived, according to the indictment.
When inspectors from the Occupational, Health and Safety Administration questioned Bosley, he allegedly told them the box had been in the trench when it collapsed.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office issued a summons in place of a warrant for Bosley on Wednesday and suggested bond to be set at $10,000.
Bosley could not immediately be reached for comment. Court records did not list an attorney for Bosley as of Thursday afternoon.
