Man dies after crushed under dozer tracks at Rubidoux worksite

RUBIDOUX — A man died after he was crushed under the tracks of an 84,000 pound bulldozer at a Rubidoux business late Monday evening Aug. 27. The deadly workplace accident happened at Engelauf Rental Equipment and Recycling Center on the 5600 block of Market Street, south of Agua Mansa Road.

The victim, who has not yet been publicly identified, was pronounced deceased at the scene and officials are still working to determine how the man ended up under the dozer’s tracks.

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Riverside County Fire and Sheriff’s Departments along with other emergency personnel responded to scene at 10:21 p.m., after receiving reports of a work place accident. 911 callers reported the accident involved a man who was trapped under a large Caterpillar bulldozer in a gravel pit at the business.

When emergency crews arrived they found a victim under the driver’s side track of a D8L Bulldozer.

Firefighters worked with hand shovels to dig away sand and gravel so they could access and assess the victim. Officials confirmed the victim had succumbed to his injuries and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Deputies soon cordoned of the entire work site as they and other officials worked to determine how the fatal accident occurred.

The dozer’s operator is cooperating with investigators, Riverside County Sheriff’s spokesperson Deputy Robyn Flores later said.

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Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.