Last week, a farmworker at an eastern North Carolina farm died after a sweet potato truck struck him, an incident advocates say highlights the dangers migrant workers face.
On Sunday, farmworker Daniel de La Cruz succumbed to injuries he sustained on Oct. 3. He was a guest worker at Barnes Farming in Nash County. It’s been two years since migrant farmworker Jose Arturo Gonzalez Mendoza died from possible heat-related illness at Barnes Farming in Nash County — though the farm has said an autopsy shows a rare tumor was responsible. WUNC reported that an autopsy by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found González Mendoza's death was likely caused by heart issues from a rare tumor found on an adrenal gland.
The most recent incident happened off the farm. The truck was traveling north on State Road 1947, turning right on 1946 — about 4 miles outside of Bailey, NC. De La Cruz was walking alongside the truck, hopped up on the gas barrel, and fell off when the truck made the turn, according to First Sergeant Kearstin Howald, with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
The N.C. Department of Labor and State Highway Patrol are investigating the death.
Barnes Farming did not comment on this story.
De La Cruz leaves behind a wife and daughter in Mexico.
