Victim of deadly construction accident near New Haven-West Haven line ID’d as Bethany man

The scene of a fatal construction accident at the West Haven-New Haven border. New Haven Assistant Police Chief Achilles Generoso is at center left, and New Haven Chief Dean Esserman is at far right. The scene of a fatal construction accident at the West Haven-New Haven border. New Haven Assistant Police Chief Achilles Generoso is at center left, and New Haven Chief Dean Esserman is at far right. Photo: Mark Zaretsky — New Haven Register Photo: Mark Zaretsky — New Haven Register Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Victim of deadly construction accident near New Haven-West Haven line ID’d as Bethany man 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN >> The man who died after he was hit by a payloader on the New Haven-West Haven line Tuesday has been identified as Donald “Cary” Smith Jr., 56, of Bethany, according to the Cody-White Funeral Home.

Smith died from his injuries after he somehow ended up in a truck carrying hot asphalt, city spokesman Laurence Grotheer confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

Smith, a longtime worker for West Haven-based Pereira & Sons Construction, had been working on a West Haven sewer-repair project on Route 1 near the city line when he was hit. He was in New Haven when the accident happened, officials said.

Smith’s autopsy was performed Wednesday morning. A representative for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the cause of his death was blunt trauma of the head, torso and lower left extremity.

The manner of his death was determined to be accidental.

New Haven and West Haven police both responded to the scene Tuesday and New Haven police were investigating. But because it’s a workplace accident, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also investigating.

OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald said the agency’s investigation could take at least a few weeks.

“The inspection’s purpose is to determine whether or not there were any violations of workplace safety standards in connection with this incident,” he said.

Pereira owner John Pereira was at the scene but declined to comment on the accident Tuesday.

Smith leaves his mother, Karen J. Smith of Milford; and siblings Deborah Smith, Bettina Bodnar, Kristin Wall, Andrew Smith, Christopher Smith and Gretchen Smith. He was predeceased by his father, Donald Cary Smith Sr.

A memorial service for Smith is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Orange Congregational United Church of Christ, 205 Meetinghouse Lane, Orange, according to his obituary. Interment will be private.