A 41-year-old private contractor, Darrell Sheriff, died Monday, October 4, 2024 after being buried under hot asphalt while attempting to repair his dump truck at a work site in Jackson, Mississippi.
The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. at AJ Materials, in the 1000 block of East McDowell Road. According to Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade, Sheriff was working beneath his dump truck to fix a malfunctioning hydraulic line when the vehicle’s tailgate unexpectedly opened, releasing hot asphalt onto him.
“There were some individuals on the scene that tried to help him,” Wade said. “They said he tried to fight to make it through those injuries, but they were just too enormous for him to survive.”
Sheriff was declared dead at the location. The Jackson Police Department has launched a thorough investigation, though they presently regard the death as accidental. Police Chief Wade explained that the incident involved a malfunction with Sheriff’s dump truck.
Family members who were present described Sheriff as a dedicated and hardworking family man. Chief Wade offered his sympathies, acknowledging the family’s grief.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been notified and is expected to conduct a separate investigation into the workplace fatality. OSHA’s involvement is standard procedure in incidents involving workplace deaths to ensure compliance with safety regulations.
Sheriff’s death marks the latest in a series of workplace fatalities in Mississippi this year, highlighting ongoing concerns about occupational safety in the state. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Mississippi reported 78 fatal occupational injuries in the previous year, a significant rise from the prior year’s count of 41. Transportation incidents led to these fatalities, accounting for 29% of the total, followed by incidents involving contact with equipment and violence-related injuries.
This most recent accident, along with tragedies like the October 2024 collapse of the Strong River Bridge that killed three workers and injured four, highlight the need for enhanced safety protocols, particularly in high-risk sectors like construction and transportation. These incidents reflect an urgent call for stricter adherence to OSHA guidelines to ensure safer conditions for Mississippi’s workforce, especially in industries with well-known hazards.