Woman is impaled by garbage truck in car park by driver she says was 'on phone'

15 August 2023 , 18:25

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Woman is impaled by garbage truck in car park by driver she says was 'on phone'

Grim footage captures the moment a woman walking through her apartment complex garage is suddenly impaled.

San Diego woman Deanna Beck has launched legal action against a waste management company after she was left seriously injured when she was impaled by a garbage truck. The footage shows Deanna walking through the garage over a crosswalk before the truck next to her suddenly reverses, impaling her through the hip and throwing her to the ground.

The incident occurred on February 5, 2021, and left Deanna, a former SeaWorld employee, with injuries to her neck, spine and tailbone. A traumatic brain injury caused Deanna neurological issues that led to seizures, memory loss, insomnia, hearing loss and vertigo. Deanna was later diagnosed with dysautonomia, described as a "disorder of autonomic nervous system," by the National Institute of Health (NIH).

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Deanna glanced at the truck before it hit her (Fox 5)

Neck surgery, post-concussive syndrome and memory loss adds to the myriad of symptoms caused by injuries since the incident, Deanna has said. She is now seeking an amount over $25,000 in a civil trial due to begin on October 13, for loss of wages, loss of earning capacity and general damage, medical expenses and personal injury claims.

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Deanna's attorneys said the waste management worker driving the vehicle was on his phone at the time of the incident and has previously been punished a number of times for operating a garbage truck while using his phone.

Deanna glanced at the truck before it hit her (Fox 5)

"The defendant of the waste management vehicle being driven in this case was on his phone at the time he impaled Deanna Beck," attorney Coreyu Garrard said. "That driver had been written up multiple times in the past for operating waste management vehicles while on his phone which is in direct contravention to the rules of that company."

Deanna's lawyers say she can no longer return to work because of the "obviously physically and mentally demanding" challenges of her SeaWorld Job. "She’s tried to go back to work, but she can’t do that job anymore," lawyer John Gomez said.

Deanna's attorneys said the waste management worker driving the vehicle was on his phone (Facebook)

Her memory loss means Deanna has been fired a number of times from roles due to her memory loss and she was unable to continue working as a bartender.

"She was a bartender for many, many years in downtown San Diego at a lot of the really popular bars,' Garrard said. "Within the first year of this incident, she was fired from a bartending job because she couldn’t figure out how to use the computers at the bar (and) couldn’t remember drinks when she went to a table."

Deanna is no longer able to work at SeaWorld, her lawyers said (Facebook)

He added: "We look forward to proving at trial how that has dramatically changed her life."

Benjamin Lynch