Virginia Injury Lawyer Blog

Poquoson teen dies in wood chipper accident

A Poquoson High School student died Sunday afternoon when he was accidentally pulled into a commercial wood chipper.

The boy, Frank Anthony Gornik, 14, died instantly, The Daily Press of Newport News reported.

Gornik was working with two other men for Old Dominion Tree & Lawn Care cleaning up debris from the nor’easter when the accident happened.

Gornik was shoveling debris in to a hopper on the chipper when the shovel he was using apparently got caught in the chipper, pulling Gornik in with it, Poquoson Police Chief Cliff Bowen told The Virginian-Pilot.

The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry is investigating the accident, the Daily Press said.

Gornik was living with the owner of Old Dominion Tree & Lawn Care, Robert Strickland, the newspaper said. Gornik went to live with Strickland and Strickland’s wife after the death of his parents.

Gornik was voted outstanding eighth-grade boy last year by the faculty at Poquoson Middle School. He was on the junior varsity football team and the honor roll at Poquoson High School.

"He was a young man that was very well-liked and respected in the school and the community," Poquoson High School Principal Bernie Wright told the Daily Press. "I heard today that many students expressed their feelings of Frank as someone they felt comfortable going to for advice when they had problems. I would like to say he'll be missed by all the students and staff at PHS."

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Labels: accident Bernie Wright death Frank Gornik Old Dominion Tree and Lawn Care Poquoson Robert Strickland wood chipper