Family alleges preventable workplace hazards after 18-year-old crushed by wheel loader
OREGON CITY, OR – An 18-year-old construction worker was killed just days before leaving for college when a wheel loader ran over him at a job site, prompting his family to file a $35 million wrongful death lawsuit alleging basic safety failures.
Lucas Gray was working for ICON Construction and Development in July when he was clearing debris from an in-road water valve box while lying on the ground, according to an Oregon OSHA investigation. During that work, a 30,500-pound John Deere 544L wheel loader struck and crushed him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His mother, Catherine Gray, described arriving shortly after the incident. “I only saw his little boots and his hat off to the side and a flow of blood running down the street,” she told KPTV.
Worksite safety failures cited
Oregon OSHA found that Gray had been “reaching into an in-road water valve box to clear sediment and debris” when the fatal incident occurred. The agency cited ICON Construction and Development for “serious” safety violations, stating the company failed to protect workers from moving heavy equipment.
Investigators said safeguards such as spotters, barricades, or traffic cones should have been in place. The agency issued a fine of $31,632.
The lawsuit filed by Gray’s family also names Serres Farms Development, LLC and TR Oregon Holdings, Inc., companies overseeing the construction project. It points to evidence from the OSHA investigation, including a text message sent by the wheel loader operator 10 days before the incident warning of disorganization at the site.
“Literally no one and I mean not one person is on the same page,” the operator wrote. “It has everyone trying to do what they think is best with little to no direction, all going in different directions and causing a lot of unnecessary frustration amongst people, and causing what I believe to be an unorganized and unproductive site…”
Allegations of absent supervision and unsafe conditions
According to the lawsuit, the site’s superintendent was not present on the day of the incident, which workers reportedly said was a common occurrence. One employee stated the superintendent was “known for leaving the site multiple times a day.”
Joe Piucci, an attorney representing the Gray family, said the conditions described in the investigation reflect fundamental safety lapses. “This is construction level 101 violations,” Piucci told KPTV. “You can’t send a kid out into a street to lie down in the street with no spotters, no flaggers, no signs, no warning.”
ICON Construction and Development declined to comment on the lawsuit due to pending litigation. In a statement issued at the time of the incident, the company said, “On July 23, 2025, a tragic accident at a construction site resulted in the death of one of our valued employees. We are deeply grieved by his death, and our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones during this time. The safety and well-being of all our personnel is our highest priority and we are fully cooperating with the authorities and OSHA’s investigation.”
The Gray family is seeking damages and a jury trial as the case moves forward.
Oregon construction accident, Lucas Gray death, OSHA safety violations Oregon, wrongful death lawsuit construction site, ICON Construction Oregon City
