Aggie Tragedy
Mystery builds around falling death of Dallas subcontractor at Texas A&M stadium
The investigation continues at Texas A&M University's Kyle Field in the wake of a 25-year-old construction worker falling to his death December 3. Though details are hazy, Angel Garcia was working on a spiral pedestrian ramp at the northeast side of the stadium, which is undergoing a massive $450 million renovation.
Around 11:30 am, the subcontractor, an employee of Irving-based Lindamood Demolition, fell from the fourth level of the concrete ramp and was rushed to a nearby hospital. He later died of his injuries.
Angel Garcia's death comes nearly half a year after five workers were seriously injured during a collapse at A&M's new equine center.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) — along with university police and primary contractor Manhattan-Vaughan Construction — will continue an investigation that could last as long as six months, according to officials.
It remains unclear how the incident and OSHA analysis will affect the stadium's first phase of construction, which was scheduled to be complete by early September 2014 for A&M's first home football game against Lamar University next season. A live feed of construction progress on the stadium's website has been disconnected since Tuesday.
According to the Bryan-College Station Eagle, Lindamood Demolition has faced OSHA citations as recently as July, when the company failed to meet federal requirements for preparing a demolition site in Wichita Falls. Originally fined $4,200, Lindamood reached a settlement with the agency for $2,000.
Manhattan Construction — one half of the Kyle Field building team — also met the wrath of OSHA during its 2009 work on Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.
There the company racked up $8,000 in fines for not enforcing employees to wear protective gear and for not protecting workers from falling through open areas like skylights. Manhattan, which built BBVA Compass stadium in Houston, eventually secured a $4,000 settlement.
Garcia's death comes nearly half a year after five workers were seriously injured during a roof collapse at A&M's new $80 million equine center. An OSHA investigation is pending on that accident as well.
Meanwhile, Lindamood Demolition has established a memorial fund for Garcia to help his family with expenses. Donations may be sent to Bank of the West, 108 W. Northwest Hwy., Grapevine, 76051-3270. Checks may be made out to the Angel Garcia Memorial Fund.
The Dallas Wimbledon watch party will include the iconic strawberries and cream. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images