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A coroner’s inquest started today looking into the 2010 death of a 59-year-old construction worker. Luigi Stinellis was working as a flag man on a site at Nebo and Rymal road in Hamilton when he was hit and killed by a van that drove through the traffic barrels. The jury is tasked with determining by what means Luigi Stinellis died. Natural, accident, homicide, suicide or undetermined, they can also make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in similar situations.
Stinellis was killed November 29th, 2010 when Ivan Opat drove his van through traffic barrels into a water main construction site, striking a front end loader and Stinellis throwing him 30 metres. Opat had been charged with impaired driving but he died of cancer before the case went to trial. 5 witnesses were called today including the co-owner of West Rock, the company Stinellis was working for when he was killed and a Ministry of Labour investigator.
A lot of the questioning focused on the safety of job site. The Ministry of Labour investigator testified that he was satisfied with the company’s traffic protection plan designed to keep workers safe and that Stinellis was adequately trained. He also testified that traffic signs, or the need for more were not an issue at the job site. The jury also heard from Opat’s oncologist who testified there was no medical condition with Opat’s cancer that would have impaired his driving. A collision reconstruction officer with Hamilton Police gave testimony that Opat was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and that while the construction site was clearly visible and there was no indication that breaks were applied.
Witnesses made some recommendations for the jury to consider including that the city post speed limit signs ahead of a project to slow down drivers that speed bumps be installed in the roadway around a work site. Coroner’s counsel is expected to make closing submissions tomorrow and then the coroner will give his charge to the jury where they will begin to deliberate and then come back with their findings and recommendations.
