Caltrans District 5 honors fallen workers at ceremony
Eight local workers among those honored during memorial
– Caltrans District 5 held its 36th annual Workers Memorial Ceremony on the front lawn of the district office at 50 Higuera St. on Wednesday morning.
Since 1921, 195 Caltrans employees have been killed on the job, including eight in District 5. Employees, along with dignitaries and families of the local fallen workers, honored those who died while also emphasizing road safety.
“Today we honor and pay tribute to the members of the Caltrans family who have been killed while serving the people of California,” said District 5 Director Scott Eades. “The Fallen Workers Memorial is also a chance to ask the travelling public to adjust their driving habits so as to continue to see our crews as real people who need to get home to their families.”
During the ceremony, Caltrans used orange cones, each bearing a black stripe with the name of a local employee who died on duty. Speakers included former District 5 Chief Deputy Director Tony Harris, District 5 Director Scott Eades, California Highway Patrol Coastal Division Assistant Chief Kyle Foster, and District 5 Deputy Director of Maintenance and Traffic Aaron Henkel.
One of the biggest hazards for workers is motorists who do not exercise caution while driving through highway work zones. Events like the ceremony highlight the department’s goal of reaching zero fatalities and serious injuries on state highways by 2050.
“It’s unbelievable what our workers go through every day, and safety is something that will always be important and is always something we should remember,” said former District 5 Chief Deputy Director Tony Harris. “We should remember those who unfortunately did not get to go home, and remember their family, their friends and always be there to support them.”
The ceremony included a rose-laying over a rock with a plaque naming the eight local workers who died in the line of duty.
Caltrans urged motorists to “Be Work Zone Alert.” April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which promotes safer driving habits to help prevent crashes. During the month, Caltrans is sharing safety messages on more than 170 billboards statewide.
The workers honored were Michael “Flea” Feliciano, Manuel Leon, Thomas Sanders, Donna Patarak, Harvey Huss, Kyle Truesdale, Albert Castro, and Norman Hamilton.
