Death of Mario Jaramillo Ruled Accidental After He Was Crushed Inside Trash Truck on Congress Street in Tucson

TUCSON, ARIZONA (March 9, 2026) – A 40-year-old man identified as Mario Jaramillo has tragically died in a Tucson trash truck compactor accident on the 200 block of Congress Street.

Pima County officials are saying that the accident took place around 6:49 a.m. on February 3. Mario Jaramillo called emergency services from inside of the truck after his legs were crushed by the machinery.

Paramedics were called to the scene of the accident to help the injured victim. Despite life-saving measures, Mario Jaramillo died due to the severe nature of his injuries.

The death has been ruled accidental. It remains unclear how the man was able to get inside of the hopper of the truck.

Liability for Tucson Trash Truck Accidents

Garbage truck companies have a legal obligation to operate with the due care necessary to avoid causing accidents. This necessitates that they maintain a safe speed at all times to avoid pedestrians. According to Arizona Vehicle Code 28-701, the driver of a motor vehicle shall not travel at a speed greater than would be reasonable and prudent given the prevailing road conditions. Several other steps should be taken to prevent accidents.

  • Monitoring: Trash truck companies should ensure that the hopper on any truck is carefully monitored before it is turned on. This helps avoid the possibility that anyone near the truck could be injured.
  • Lockout: Trash truck companies should disable the hydraulic systems when their truck is not in use.
  • Cameras: Trash truck companies should use cameras to help them be aware of any person that may be near the truck.

If a trash truck company fails to exercise care to avoid harming members of the public, this could serve as evidence of negligence. Many accidents involving trash trucks are the result of safety lapses. Part of the problem is that many trash truck companies will push their drivers to complete routes as quickly as possible, even when this compromises safety. The company that manufactured a trash truck could also be liable for an accident through a product liability claim.

Steps to Take After Tucson Trash Truck Accidents

Large trucks are responsible for many serious accidents each year. According to the National Safety Council, “in 2023, 114,552 large trucks were involved in crashes resulting in an injury, a 4.7% decrease from 2022. Since 2016, the number of trucks involved in injury crashes has increased 12%, while the involvement rate per 100 million large truck miles driven has remained the same at 35.” Certain actions should be taken after any trash truck accident.

  • Medical Records: All medical records related to injuries should be collected. These records can help reveal how an accident took place.
  • Surveillance Footage: Any surveillance footage that may have captured how an accident took place should be sought.
  • Legal Review: The family of any person who died in an accident with a trash truck should request a free review of the accident by a legal team with ample experience in negligence claims.

Losing a family member in a trash truck accident can be absolutely devastating. To make matters worse, the trash companies involved in these types of incidents are almost never transparent about what took place. They are more likely to blame the victim for what happened. This is why it is so important that these incidents be investigated by an outside party. The family of any person who died in an accident with a trash truck may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a wrongful death claim.

Investigating Tucson Trash Truck Accidents

We at The Law Offices of John Phebus extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mario Jaramillo. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong so that similar tragedies can be prevented. The company that owned this trash truck should be fully transparent about what took place.

Do you need more information about a Tucson trash truck accident? Our team of accident investigators is here for you. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that garbage collection companies are held fully accountable for their negligence. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of assistance, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (623) 267-9283.

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