Authorities ID Garbage Truck Driver Fatally Struck By Own Vehicle

SANTA CLARA VALLEY, CA — A garbage truck driver who was struck and killed by his own vehicle in San Jose on Friday has been identified as a Merced County resident, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office. Jose Terriquez of Gustine was pronounced dead on scene after San Jose police officers responded to a crash on Camden Avenue at El Paseo Drive at 7:54 a.m., the San Jose Police Department said.

GreenWaste Recovery Inc., Terriquez's employer, released a statement that said they had learned of the twelve-year driving veteran's death around 8 a.m. Friday and called it a "tragic accident."

"One of our yard waste drivers had passed away, well before his time," co-CEOs Tracy Adams and Frank Weigel said in the statement. "We have a grief counseling team onsite to lend support to the family and our company family."

GreenWaste said that this is the first employee fatality that they have ever suffered in their 27-year history.

No information is available at this time about what may have caused the incident. The San Jose police's Traffic Investigation Unit is analyzing the case, officers said.

• Garbage Truck Driver Struck, Killed By Own Truck

The company said that they do not know exactly what happened yet and are cooperating with investigators from the police department as well as the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"Our company is a very close team, and we join the late driver's family in mourning the loss of a very special person," the CEOs said.

By Bay City News Service

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