CASPER, Wyoming – The widow of a 33-year-old Casper man who was crushed to death last summer when a boom failed and collapsed is suing the subcontractor responsible for operating the truck-mounted crane.
Jacob R. Baker was killed in an accident at a drilling site near Douglas on the morning of June 23, 2023, leaving behind a wife and a five-month-old boy. The lawsuit accuses Natrona County-based High Country Crane and its agent, Kent Lundine, of negligence.
OSHA investigators from Wyoming Workforce Services investigated the incident and found three serious violations. The charges are currently under appeal.
Investigators say a precast concrete slab was being lifted with the truck crane and Baker was running the line. A pivot pin on the hinge of the boom attached to the crane broke on one side, causing the boom to fall on Baker, who suffered catastrophic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Upon further investigation, it was found that the bolts and retaining plate were not secured and were located at the bottom of the boom,” the report said.
This “unreasonably dangerous” condition would have been obvious upon inspection, the lawsuit says. The OSHA violations cited include failure to conduct inspections and failure to provide a workplace free of hazards that could cause death or serious injury.
High Country Crane was contacted by Oil City News Tuesday morning and had not responded for comment at the time of publication.
According to his obituary, Baker was a graduate of Natrona County High School and an avid outdoorsman.
