Willoughby, OH — July 28, 2025, One person was killed following a box truck accident that occurred at around 10:00 A.M. on Erie Street.

According to reports, a box truck was traveling on Erie Street when it struck a work vehicle with a cherry picker attachment, causing the person inside the lift bucket to become ejected, where they landed on a parked car.

When first responders arrive don the scene they found the ejected person critically injured and transported them to the hospital where they later succumbed to their injuries. Officials have not released an update on the investigation's status, or the identity of the deceased.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a worker in a lift bucket was thrown out and killed after being hit by a box truck, the first question is usually: How could something like that even happen? According to reports, the box truck struck a work vehicle with an elevated cherry picker, causing the person in the lift to be ejected and land on a parked car. That description raises more questions than it answers—starting with how visible the work site was and whether proper safety precautions were in place.

Work zones involving elevated platforms like cherry pickers are supposed to follow strict guidelines. That includes signage, cones, flags, and—most importantly—enough room between the lift and moving traffic. If those measures weren’t in place, or if the work was being done too close to an active lane, that could explain how a passing truck ended up in striking range of the lift in the first place.

On the other hand, if all precautions were in place, then attention shifts to the truck driver. Was the driver distracted, speeding, or otherwise not paying attention? Could they see the bucket in time to avoid it? These aren’t abstract concerns—these are questions that can often be answered through evidence like dash cam footage, black box data, or even phone records.

It’s also critical to know more about the setup of the cherry picker itself. Was it fully extended into the roadway? Was the worker secured with a harness, as required under most safety standards? I’ve seen cases where a worker followed every rule, but still got hurt because someone else didn’t respect the space that kind of equipment requires.

What’s missing right now is clarity about how close the lift was to the traffic lane, whether the truck left its lane, and whether the work zone was clearly marked. Depending on those answers, responsibility could lie with the trucking company, the employer of the deceased worker, or even both.

Key Takeaways:

A thorough investigation will need to look at both the driver's actions and the work crew’s setup to get to the truth.

• A box truck reportedly struck a work vehicle with a raised cherry picker, ejecting and killing the worker inside the lift.

• It’s unclear whether the work zone was properly marked or whether the truck drifted into a safe area.

• Dash cams, ECM data, and safety protocols will be key to determining how this contact occurred.

• Questions about harness use, worksite placement, and visibility all factor into liability.