Work release inmates identified as men killed, hurt in accident at Mid-America Recycling

The Department of Correctional Services says a work release-inmate was killed and another hurt in an accident at Mid-America Recycling.

Dennis Hines, 58, died after the accident. Hines last address was in Lexington, Nebraska.

Jarrod Mittan, 46, was treated for non-life threatening injuries and expected to be released from the hospital Friday, April 15. His last address was in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The men were hurt after a concrete divider fell over at a recycling facility Thursday, according to the company's president.

Mick Barry, president of Mid-America Recycling located at 440 J St., said the workers were outside cleaning the area.

"We were actually doing spring cleaning," Barry said, "and we were around cleaning the plant up after winter, just like it's your home."

Capt. Danny Reitan, of the Lincoln Police Dept., said that's when a skid-steer loader, driven by another employee, backed into a concrete divider causing it to fall over.

"The employees acted quickly," Capt. Reitan said.

"[They] used a forklift to lift the section of wall off the pinned employee. Another employee appears to have just been grazed as the section of wall came down."

Lincoln Fire & Rescue responded and the two men were transported to a nearby hospital.

Lincoln police said they would be contacting the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Barry confirmed Thursday evening that he expected OSHA to be to the facility Friday or the following Monday.

Barry said he welcomes the OSHA investigation and said it could help improve their company's processes.

"We're very sympathetic to that happening of the families of those involved," Barry said, "and we'll be reaching out to them to help them through this period of grief that they'll be going through."

Hines and Mittan were both assigned to the Community Corrections Center – Lincoln.

Hines was serving six to 10 years for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. His sentence began on May 13, 2013 and he had a projected release date of March 21, 2018.

Mittan is serving five to 12 years for theft by receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance. His sentence began on February 20, 2014 and he has a projected release date of November 13, 2019.

Even though the accident occurred in the community, because Hines was an NDCS inmate at a work-release job site, a Grand Jury will conduct an investigation.