Victim in Ava Landfill bulldozer incident identified by Sheriff’s Office

ONEIDA COUNTY- Details have surfaced from local authorities regarding the victim who was seriously injured following an incident with a bulldozer at the Ava Landfill.

As reported this week, emergency responders were called out to the landfill sometime shortly before 9:00 a.m. Tuesday.

Dispatch was originally informed that a bulldozer had struck a pedestrian.

According to Sheriff’s Investigators, Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste employee, Wasyl Hrim, 64, of Boonville, NY was operating a John Deere Bulldozer.

Emergency officials said that Hrim stopped the dozer and vacated the machine to open the rear door of a tractor trailer.

This is when the dozer started moving forward and when Hrim tried climbing back aboard, he fell off of the tracks and was subsequently run over by the track, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Though the nature of injuries suffered from the incident were non-life threatening, authorities did say they were serious. Hrim was ultimately flown SUNY Upstate Medical Center.

Members from the New York State Police, Boonville Ambulance, West Leyden Fire Department and Mercy Flight all assisted.

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