Forklift operator dies at Florida distribution center

A worker at a Chewy Distribution Center in Ocala, Fla. on Sunday, December 16th has died of injuries when the forklift accident. Investigators believe the forklift killed him.

Ocala police have reported that 49 year old Robert A. Pete was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.  Witnesses say Pete was unresponsive and pinned between the forklift and a shelf beam.  A co-worker was able to free him and begin CPR until the first responders arrived at the scene.

Chewy released a statement about the incident on Monday afternoon: “We are deeply saddened by the recent loss of our team member, Robert Pete. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time. We are currently conducting a full investigation and working closely with local authorities and our on-site teams to determine the cause and nature of the incident.”

Police say they do not suspect foul play but after initial interviews Pete may have had a heart attack.  OSHA is investigating.

Free Magazine & eNewsletter

Printed Monthly Magazine

Published monthly, Material Handling Wholesaler offers feature columns and special coverage of relevant industry issues and products.

Digital Monthly Magazine

Published on the fourth Thursday of each month, Material Handling Wholesaler offers feature columns and special coverage of relevant industry issues and products.

Material Handing Wholesaler Weekly Newsletter

Our Weekly newsletter is emailed every Tuesday and contains the latest Industry Events and People News, Source Directory, and important Industry Links.

Forklift International Weekly Hot Sheet Newsletter

Published every Monday morning with the latest material handling equipment
available for sale.

Share the Post:

Related Posts

Our Current Issue

Free Magazine & eNewsletter

Our magazine is published and mailed monthly, Material Handling Wholesaler offers feature columns and special coverage of important industry issues. Subscription is FREE to qualified readers.

Weekly Newsletter – Get the latest industry events and people news in this weekly e-newsletter as well as direct access to Wholesaler’s Source Directory and link.

Current Supplements

Strong start to Q3 with 136 new Industrial Manufacturing Planned Industrial Projects

Industrial SalesLeads released its October 2024 report on planned capital project spending in the Industrial Manufacturing sector. The firm monitors…

Think CASH in ’25

Last month, I suggested that dealers compare their 24 results against their peers’ accounting and cash flow budgets. I also…

Assessing Machinery Dealer Fundamentals – A Strategic Approach

Are you ready for 2025? Here is a 60-question assessment of how well your business has adopted those fundamental Best…