Man is Killed in Gravel Pit Machinery Accident

A worker died in a machinery accident at a gravel pit off Rudolph Rd. near Ellinger last Thursday, Jan. 30.

First responders got the call around 11:30 a.m. Ellinger Volunteer Fire Department, Fayette County EMS and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene and discovered the man was deceased.

Assistant Fire Chief Martin Spoelstra of the Ellinger VFD said the worker fell into a logwasher, a type of machine used to break apart clay and rock aggregate.

Fayette County EMS Director Josh Vandever said first responders rendered the scene safe and then notified the Fayette County Office of Emergency Management that they were in need of specialized technical rescue resources not available locally.

“Our partners with the Texas Division of Emergency Management quickly started working to notify and dispatch the Bryan Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team,” Vandever said. “Simultaneously on the scene, phone calls were made to Delgado’s Wrecker Service and to Mc-Court Equipment for their related technical expertise. All of the agencies above responded quickly and professionally to handle the situation with dignity and respect.”

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased as Reynaldo Barrientos, 46 of Columbus. He leaves behind a wife and four children. His obituary appears on Page A5 in today’s paper.

“Fayette County EMS would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the government agencies and private organizations that teamed up today without hesitation,” Vandever said. “We would also like to offer our prayers of comfort to the victim and to his family and friends.”