Sacramento father of 7 dies in Berkeley school construction scaffolding accident
A Sacramento construction subcontractor died of his injuries from a workplace accident at a Berkeley school last week, authorities said.
Jonathan Dillard "J.D." Guidi, 41, was involved in a scaffolding accident on July 24 while working at Sylvia Mendez Elementary School, which is undergoing renovation, according to the Berkeley Unified School District.
Guidi fell from the scaffolding about 40 feet onto the concrete below and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to Berkeley Fire Department spokesperson Dafina Dailey.
School District spokesperson Trish McDermott said that because of the construction, there were no students on campus during the incident.
"We value the many contractors and subcontractors who are involved in modernizing our schools," McDermott said. "The family and construction crew remain in our thoughts. We send them strength and comfort at this difficult time."
The Berkeley Police Department told The Berkeley Scanner that Guidi was installing the scaffolding when he fell. The department and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health are conducting separate investigations into the incident.
The Alameda County Coroner's Bureau said it expects to close the case in the next three to six months, Foscalina said.
Guidi's family is attempting to raise $35,000 on GoFundMe to pay for funeral expenses and immediate living costs. The online fundraiser had generated more than $28,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
"JD was the heart of every room he entered -- the kind of person who lit up a space with his laugh, his goofy jokes, and his even goofier dance moves," the GoFundMe reads. "He made everyone feel welcome, often opening his home to friends and family in need. He had the biggest heart and always put others first.
"There are simply no words to describe the hole his absence leaves behind."