UPS driver Frank Ordonez, 27, was killed in a shootout after a truck hijacking while on the job in Miramar, Florida on December 5. The incident, which has received international news coverage, culminated in 18 law enforcement officers firing into the delivery vehicle. It is not clear whether any of the parties involved have retained lawyers.
The incident started in Coral Gables, an affluent suburb of Miami. Ordonez was working a different route due to a colleague who had called out sick and whose route needed coverage. While on the route, Ordonez’s UPS truck was hijacked at approximately 4:15 p.m. by Hill and Alexander, who had allegedly just robbed Regents Jewelry on Miracle Mile. Shots were reportedly fired during the robbery, although it isn’t clear whether anyone was hurt.
The UPS truck became the central focus of an hours-long, 30-mile chase through the streets of South Florida which ended in a shootout with police. Reports indicate that there were shots fired from both inside and outside of the UPS vehicle, though it is not yet clear who fired the first shot. 13 of the officers involved were reportedly from the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Four people were reportedly killed after law enforcement fired into the delivery vehicle, killing Ordonez, Alexander, and Hill. The fourth victim was 70-year-old Richard Cutshaw, a bystander who is not suspected of being involved in the incident. No one has been charged in the shooting.
Unfortunately, Ordonez, a father of two, is hardly the only person to be killed while on the clock. In 2017, more than 5,000 Americans lost their lives due to traumatic injuries sustained at work, though few of these injuries involve firearms. This amounts to around 14 people a day losing their lives on the job, something which few bargain for.
Private industry claimed more than 4,600 of those deaths, with around 20 percent being attributed to the construction industry through falls, object strikes, electrocutions, and being caught in between objects. Those four occurrences are known as the “fatal four” and the elimination of the factors leading to these injuries would save more than 500 lives every year. These numbers do not factor in “chronic occupational diseases,” which account for another 95,000 deaths each year.
For delivery professionals, December is a particularly busy month, with both merchants and customers eager for merchandise and money to change hands. For many UPS drivers, any criminal worry is most likely confined to the realm of theft of packages in the truck. Likewise, homeowners’ biggest criminal concern is thieves swiping packages of long-awaited gifts from doorsteps, front porches, and package rooms across the country.
Because Ordonez’s death occurred while he was working for UPS, Ordonez’s family may be entitled to compensation. In cases like this, the family can often receive compensation for loss of their loved one, loss of income, and for other damages.
South Florida Workers’ Compensation Attorney
If you or your loved one was injured at a job site, you should hire an attorney. Contact us for a free initial consultation with one of South Florida’s most experienced workers’ compensation defense attorneys.
Source: 12.10.19 UPS Driver Shootout