FORT WORTH — A man died late Monday from injuries he received when he was thrown from the bed of pickup while trying to weigh down a piece of plywood.
Julio Mendez, 26, of Irving was identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. He died at 7:19 p.m. at John Peter Smith Hospital, the M.E.’s office said Tuesday.
Lt. Kent Worley, fire department spokesman, said Mendez and another man were reportedly headed to a construction site when the incident happened around noon Monday in the 10000 block of Wagley-Robertson Road in far north Fort Worth.
“Obviously they were trying to weigh it down and the wind got up under the plywood, lifted the wood and the two men out of the truck,” Worley said. “They landed on the roadway.”
Lt. Dean Sullivan, a police spokesman, said good Samaritans aided the injured men until help arrived.
Worley said the men — one of whom suffered head trauma and the other possibly abdominal injuries, in addition to multiple fractures — were taken to area hospitals by helicopter ambulance.
The other man was in critical condition at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital, Sullivan said.
Sullivan said an investigation is ongoing.
“We have not made a determination as to whether any charges will be filed at this time,” Sullivan said. “Texas drivers hauling loads of materials are required to secure those materials so that they don’t become dislodged and scattered about the roadway. It’s probably ill-advised to try to secure them with persons. A tarp or a strap is a much better mechanism.”
of course this is a sad story, the loss of life is terrible. But if you don’t believe in evolution, I dare you to take it up with Mr. Mendez