STUART — A 24-year-old technician was killed after a customer's truck accelerated while entering a service bay at a Stuart tire shop, according to an updated investigation by Stuart police.
The incident occurred June 9 at Atlantic Tire, where officers responded to what was initially described as a workplace accident involving a customer's vehicle.
In an update released Tuesday, investigators said an 83-year-old man who owned and was driving the truck was pulling into a service bay when the fatal incident occurred.
According to police, the driver drove onto a ramp to have the vehicle serviced and then accelerated forward, striking technician Bryan Thomas Giarrantano and pinning him against a concrete wall.
Giarrantano sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
When the incident was first reported, police said a customer's vehicle accelerated forward while entering a service bay, fatally injuring the technician.
Stuart police detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is also conducting an investigation because the death occurred in a workplace setting.
Police said the business owners and employees cooperated fully with investigators while dealing with the loss of a coworker.
"Our sincere condolences remain with the victim’s family, friends, coworkers, and all those affected by this tragedy," the Stuart Police Department said in its update.