A federal grand jury in Midland indicted Odessa-based Aghorn Operating Incorporated and Aghorn Vice President Trent Day on nine counts after one of its employees, Jacob Dean, and his wife, Natalee, passed away on October 26, 2019. According to NBC News, Aghorn Operating Inc. and Aghorn Vice President Day face charges for violating federal clean air laws and obstructing a federal job safety investigation. Furthermore, Aghorn and the affiliate face charges for federal safe water laws and making false statements on forms documenting the mechanical integrity of Aghorn’s injection wells. In addition, Aghorn is also facing three charges for job safety crimes causing death.
The Dean Family
Aghorn Operating called Jacob Dean to a pump house in Ector County where the H₂S monitors were not in service. When Jacob did not return home as expected, his wife Natalee began to worry and attempted to reach him via telephone, but got no answer. Natalee and their two children, ages 6 and 9, drove to the pump house to find him. Natalee left the vehicle to approach the pump house where she was overcome by H₂S.
The children were left in the car but were briefly exposed to the colorless, highly corrosive gas. The two children received treatment and turned into the custody of their grandparents. The Deans’ family filed a lawsuit against Aghorn Operating, Inc., Aghorn Oil & Gas, Inc., Gilliam’s Aghorn Energy, Inc., and Sentinel Transportation, LLC. following their deaths.
Grand Jury Indicts Texas Oilfield Company, Executive for Death of Employee and his Wife
Earlier this week on Tuesday, March 8, the United States Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury in Midland, Texas indicted Aghorn Operating Inc. and Aghorn Vice President Trent Day for worker safety and environment crimes.
Among the charges faced by Aghorn and Day are:
- Violating of federal clean air laws
- Obstructing a federal job safety investigation
- Violating federal safety water laws
- Making false statements on forms documenting the mechanical integrity of Aghorn’s injection wells
- Three job safety crimes causing death
If convicted, a federal district court judge is set to determine Aghorn’s and Day’s sentences based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, as well as other statutory factors. It is unclear what penalties, fines, and jail time that sentencing could include at this time.
Angel Reyes – Reyes Browne – Wrongful Death Attorneys
A wrongful death claim is a type of personal injury lawsuit that is filed when someone is killed and the fault for the death lies with another party. In cases such as these, wrongful death damages may be recovered by the deceased’s parents, children, spouse, or estate.
Contact a Dallas wrongful death lawyer for a free case review following the unexpected death of your loved one. Where there is fault, Angel Reyes – Reyes Browne will find it and pursue the maximum amount of compensation allowed by Texas law. We understand that no amount of money can give you back what you’ve lost, but substantial damages can help put you back on your feet financially while your family endures the grieving process. Holding parties accountable for negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct can be a helpful catharsis in the healing journey, as well as help establish a safer society. To learn more, contact us immediately for a 100% free consultation. Tap the green button to call or submit a form here now.
