STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — New details were released on Wednesday after a deadly workplace accident at a Stuart tire shop that left a young technician dead.
According to the Stuart Police Department, the incident occurred on June 9 when an 83-year-old driver attempted to pull his truck into a service bay for maintenance. As the vehicle moved onto a ramp, investigators say the driver accelerated forward, striking a technician and pinning him against a concrete wall. The worker suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident unfolded Tuesday morning at Atlantic Tire on Southeast Monterey Road, where emergency crews responded around 6:30 a.m. and found the victim trapped beneath the vehicle inside the bay.
Police identified the victim as 24-year-old Bryan Thomas Giarrantano, a tire technician who had been helping guide the truck into the service area at the time of the crash. Investigators said the vehicle suddenly lunged forward, pinning him against a wall inside the shop.
Police confirmed the driver remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation. Authorities also noted that the vehicle lift itself did not malfunction.
Stuart Police Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has also launched a separate investigation due to the incident taking place in a workplace setting.
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Business owners and employees at the shop have cooperated fully with law enforcement while coping with the loss of a colleague. Officials extended their condolences to the victim’s family, friends, and coworkers.
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The incident underscores the dangers that can arise in auto service environments, where even routine procedures can quickly turn deadly.