Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado – Bryan D. Johnson has been charged with a single count of Manslaughter, a class 4 felony, in connection with the death of one of his employees in a trench collapse at a construction site in Granby, Colorado, on June 14, 2018. Mr. Johnson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rosario Martinez-Lopez, an employee of Mr. Johnson’s company “ContractOne”, died when a trench he was working in collapsed on top of him. The incident was investigated by the Granby Police Department and by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The evidence revealed by those independent investigations was submitted to the District Attorney’s Office for review for possible homicide charges, and as a result, Mr. Johnson was charged with Manslaughter. No court dates have yet been scheduled.
District Attorney Matt Karzen said – “The thorough investigative work of both the Granby Police Department and OSHA revealed facts supporting a criminal prosecution for this job site death.
Worksite safety regulations exist for a reason, and here, we are reminded just how important it is to for employers to adhere to those regulations.”
The case will be handled by Grand County Chief Deputy District Attorney Kathryn L. Dowdell and 14th Judicial District Assistant District Attorney Matthew J.W. Tjosvold.
