Construction worker who fell to his death in Houston identified

A construction worker died Friday, June 21, after he reportedly fell more than 30 feet from a bridge near Beltway South and Highway 288, according to authorities. A construction worker died Friday, June 21, after he reportedly fell more than 30 feet from a bridge near Beltway South and Highway 288, according to authorities. Photo: OnScene TV Photo: OnScene TV Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Construction worker who fell to his death in Houston identified 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

The construction worker who fell to his death last month from a highway overpass in Houston has been identified as Juan Giovanni Simental of Durango, Mexico, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Simental had been performing decking on steel beams at SH 288 near Beltway South early Friday, June 21, when he fell from the overpass, according to officials with the Drive288 highway expansion project. Initial reports indicated he fell more than 30 feet, and paramedics performed CPR for about 30 minutes before he was officially pronounced dead.

He worked for subcontractor Choctaw Construction.

In a statement the day of the incident, Drive288 said they would "review and reflect on our safety precautions." Drive288 spokeswoman Raynese Edwards told Chron.com Monday that the incident remains under investigation.

"There's still some work that's being done," she said. "That takes a little while."

Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.