Shoreline Support Corp.

Description

Dale Slabik, a bulldozer-loader operator, died after approximately one week on the job, while working on erosion control at a Lake Michigan beach, pushing piles of earth, brick, and other rubbish that had been brought to the site over an embankment. Slabik was picking up large concrete chunks from a stockpile at another location and dropping them from a height of 65 feet above the lake surface. There was no berm on the embankment edge, nor was there any warning or other means of restraint in the dumping area. The position of the bulldozer-loader in the lake indicated that it went over the enbankment backward and Slabik was killed. The vehicle was equipped with a rollover protective structure and a seat belt, but the seat belt was found tucked under the seat and the rollover protective structure was torn off. According to the Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, Slabik was dating the daughter of one of Shoreline's shareholders, Anton J. Matuszczak, at the time of his death. Matuszczak had known Slabik since 1983. Matuszczak knew that Slabik suffered from epilepsy. Slabik began working for Matuszczak on June 6, 1986, just after Slabik graduated high school. Shoreline did not investigate Slabik's epilepsy to determine if it would impair his ability to safely operate and control large machinery. Shoreline also failed to provide Slabik with the significant training and supervision necessary to perform the tasks required of him.

Prosecutors

Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Kenneth R. Berg