Family Files Lawsuit Against Stellantis Over Toledo Jeep® Plant Death

The family of Antonio Gaston, the 53-year-old man who tragically died in a workplace accident at the South part of Stellantis’ Toledo Assembly Complex, has filed a lawsuit against the automaker. Gaston, a dedicated employee with 12 years of service, was fatally crushed on August 21, 2024, while working on the Jeep® Gladiator (JT) production line. The lawsuit, filed by Gaston’s wife Renita Shores-Gaston, claims that Stellantis failed to implement adequate safety measures that could have prevented his death.

Gaston, a father of four, was working on the assembly line when he was caught between a vehicle chassis and the conveyor system, causing fatal injuries. According to the lawsuit, the conveyor system lacked proper safety guards, making it easy for workers to become entangled in moving parts. The complaint alleges that critical safety features had either been removed or were designed without crucial protections to prevent such accidents.

Renita Shores-Gaston, in a statement, expressed her heartbreak, saying, “I never thought that him going to work at a factory would cause him to lose his life.” She shared that she had been in Toledo when she first received the devastating news, and the family struggled to comprehend the loss. “It was the worst news ever to tell them, that he was gone,” Shores-Gaston added, recalling the horror of informing her children.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted an investigation and found that the lack of machine guarding at the Toledo plant’s conveyor system created serious safety hazards. As a result, Stellantis was issued a serious violation and fined $16,131, though the company is contesting the fine.

Gaston, originally from Rockford, Illinois, transferred to the Toledo Assembly Complex in late 2021 after the Belvidere Assembly Plant, where he had worked for over a decade, closed due to production ending on the Jeep Cherokee (KL).

Stellantis spokesperson Jodi Tinson issued a statement expressing condolences to the Gaston family: “We extend our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Antonio Gaston. There is nothing we take more seriously than the safety of our employees. We don’t comment on ongoing litigation.”

The lawsuit is seeking damages of at least $25,000, as the family and their legal team investigate the circumstances surrounding Gaston’s death. The lawsuit also explores whether understaffing at the Toledo facility contributed to the incident. Furthermore, the family’s attorneys are scrutinizing the design and maintenance of the plant’s conveyor system, which could have played a role in the tragic accident.

This incident is one of two reported workplace fatalities in U.S. Stellantis plants in the past year, further raising concerns about worker safety at Stellantis’ manufacturing facilities.

Source: WTOL