52-year-old crushed by semi-truck after foot is caught beneath wheel, Georgia cops say

A 52-year-old man was crushed by a semi-truck after his foot became caught under a wheel, Georgia officials said.

The man, who was identified as Thi Ngoc Hoang, was working with other employees to push a semi-truck out of a bay at Cottrell, Inc., a car-hauling company in Gainesville, just before 10:30 a.m. on July 8, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.

Gainesville is about 55 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Hoang’s foot became trapped under a wheel, and he couldn’t get himself free, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

“As a result, he was run over by the truck and crushed,” the statement says.

Hoang was dead when deputies arrived.

Danny Zink, CEO of Cottrell, Inc., said in an email to McClatchy News that the company did not release the victim’s name out of respect to his family but that he was aware police departments had.

“We would like everyone to know that he was a loyal and highly valued 12-year employee who was very devoted and well-respected, and he will be missed by the entire Cottrell family,” Zink wrote. “Safety is our top priority, and we are cooperating fully with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on next steps in their investigation.”

Investigators determined Hoang’s death was accidental, according to the sheriff’s office. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate.

No obituary for Hoang could be found.

This story was originally published July 11, 2022 at 3:17 PM with the headline "52-year-old crushed by semi-truck after foot is caught beneath wheel, Georgia cops say."