Jerry FisherBARRE TOWN, Vt. -
Barre Town resident Jane Wass shuddered when she heard about Jerry Fisher's death.
"I'm so sorry it happened," she said.
Last Thursday afternoon Wass and one other witness rushed from their homes on Balsam Drive, to help a man bleeding in the street. They say he was lying on his back near a Myers garbage truck and his co-worker was trying to help him.
"The towel was under his head and the younger man was trying to stabilize his face and keep him comfortable as best he could," Wass said.
Officials say Fisher had worked as a driver for Myers Container Service Corporation since 2007. On Thursday he was riding on the back of the truck, which a homeowner says was speeding down the street. But Myers says the truck was traveling slowly between two trash pickups when Fisher fell off.
"I tried to talk to the patient, touching his tummy, telling him that it was going to be okay -- 'I think the ambulance is coming. I think I can hear it.'" she recalled.
But the 61-year-old from St. Johnsbury suffered severe head trauma and later died at the hospital. The President of the "Red Can Family," Myers Container President Jeff Myers, released the following statement:
"We are greatly saddened by what has happened. Our thoughts are with the Fisher family at this difficult time. Our first priority is always the safety and well being of our people and their families. We are working closely with the authorities investigating this unfortunate accident."
The company says it does not know what happened and police say they were never dispatched to the scene. Vermont Occupational Safety Inspectors are now on the case, trying to determined what led to the experienced employee's fatal fall.
