Man dies after construction equipment tips over on him in Stowe Township, police say

STOWE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 52-year-old man was struck and killed by the bucket of an excavator at a construction site in Stowe Township Tuesday morning, according to Allegheny County police.

First responders were called to 2201 Robinson Blvd. where Mamont Supply Inc. was working a job. They weren’t able to save the man.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified him as Jason James Shields, 52, of Upper St. Clair.

By early Tuesday evening, the excavator could still be seen tipped forward with its back end off the ground.

Detectives said there was no foul play.

Channel 11′s Antoinette DelBel spoke with Dave Truman, the Shields’ boss, over the phone. He owns Mamont Supply Inc., which sells and recycles concrete.

Truman said Shields was on the ground working in front of the machine when the concrete processor, which sits at the end of the excavator’s arm, tipped toward him.

Truman said another person was operating the excavator at the time. The owner told Channel 11 he couldn’t go into details because of the federal investigation underway. He called the incident a horrible accident.

“It was a sheer accident that was frankly unavoidable,” Truman said.

Truman said the Shields was a loving husband and father to three boys.

“He was a fellow I’ve come to know because he had a sales job selling construction equipment,” he said.

Truman said Shields worked for Mamont Supply Inc. part-time.

“On each of the occasions when he left his employer, he asked for part-time work as he looked for other full-time jobs,” he said.

OSHA is leading the investigation. The agency has six months to conduct the investigation and release its findings.

The construction site will be closed for the rest of the week because of the tragedy.

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