Grand jury indicts Ohio company, managers in worker’s 2008 death from chemical poisoning

Ohio company, managers charged in worker death

HAMILTON, Ohio — A grand jury has indicted a southwest Ohio company and three officials in the 2008 death of a treatment plant worker who authorities say was overcome by toxic gas.

The indictments issued Wednesday charge United Oil Recovery Services Inc. and its environmental health and safety manager with involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, criminal endangering and environmental violations. The company president and plant manager are charged with endangering.

The Ohio attorney general’s office says sodium hydrosulfide used to speed up a wastewater treatment process at the company’s Middletown plant caused a chemical reaction, killing 45-year-old Thomas Rogers.

Defense attorney Martin Pinales (PIHN’-uh-lihs) said Thursday that the defendants are innocent.