City releases cause of death for maintenance worker

The city of Springfield late yesterday afternoon released the cause of death for a maintenance worker who died at the landfill.

A city employee since 2008, John Choate, 53, died Wednesday at Mercy Hospital Springfield after an accident at the 3545 W. Farm Road 34 sanitary landfill north of the Queen City.

Choate was severely injured when a semitruck towing a trailer driven by Jordan Born, 28, of Greenfield, pinned him between the trailer and a piece of equipment. He was then airlifted to Mercy, according to a news release.

Choate, a Buffalo resident, was the only person hurt in the accident.

An investigation of the incident is ongoing, according to the release.

Choate’s death marks the seventh fatality accident in Springfield this year, according to the city.