73-Year-Old in Wheelchair Dies After Falling Into Construction Trench, Suffering Open Ankle Fracture, Broken Fibula, and Multiple Injuries, Lawsuit Says
Inset: Carl Wescott (Albany Democrat-Herald/Jennifer Hunking). Background: The Oregon intersection where Carl Wescott fell into a construction trench and suffered fatal injuries (Google Maps).
The family of a 73-year-old Oregon military veteran who died after falling into a construction trench while traveling in his motorized wheelchair has reached a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against the state of Oregon and several county contractors.
Carl Wescott of Sweet Home was injured in 2022 while attempting to cross a construction zone at the intersection of Main Street and 18th Avenue. According to the lawsuit, Wescott was returning home from a local store when he entered the work area and fell into an open trench. He suffered multiple severe injuries, including fractures to his ankle, arm and leg, as well as extensive damage to muscles, nerves and soft tissue across much of his body.
Court documents state that Wescott spent his final days hospitalized and died approximately two weeks after the fall. His family noted that he had preexisting medical conditions, including kidney disease, atrial fibrillation and diabetes, prior to the incident.
The lawsuit alleged that workers at the site had allowed Wescott to pass through the construction area earlier that day and again on his return trip. The complaint claims that an employee of C-2 Utility Contractors moved a backhoe to allow him to cross the closed intersection.
The defendants — identified as Wildish Construction of Eugene, C-2 Utility Contractors of Coburg and Lantz Electric of Eugene — denied responsibility for Wescott’s death. In court filings, the companies and state officials argued that Wescott was negligent and responsible for his own injuries. Lantz Electric further claimed Wescott had been instructed not to reenter the construction zone and to use an alternate route.
The case was scheduled to go to trial in May 2026 but was dismissed by a Linn County court on Dec. 19 after a settlement was reached. The terms of the settlement have not been made public. Wescott’s family had sought $2.35 million in damages.
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