Dr. Woody Myers Calls for Investigation of Amazon Death Amid Troubling Claims

Indianapolis, IND – Indiana Candidate for Governor Dr. Woody Myers is calling for an immediate investigation into a 2017 death at an Amazon facility in Plainfield. An article by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting alleges that as Governor Eric Holcomb tried to lure Amazon’s HQ2 to Indiana, state labor officials deleted every fine connected to the death. Myers says the allegations should be investigated by the appropriate state and federal agencies with the capability, the mandate and the independence to answer the numerous questions raised by the story. 

Amazon employee Phillip Lee Terry was crushed by a forklift while at work in September of 2017.  The investigator called to the scene says he was so troubled by the pushback from his supervisors that he secretly recorded the head of Indiana OSHA as she counseled the company on how to lesson any fines resulting from the incident. The state did find four major safety violations and fined Amazon $28,000. However, those fines were dropped after Amazon appealed.

“Indiana workers have a right to safe working conditions and the state is charged with enforcing the measures meant to keep them from harm on the job,” said Myers. “The allegations in the Reveal article are disturbing and deeply troubling. If true, Indiana residents must question just who the current administration is there to protect – hard working Hoosiers or big business.” 

Myers says Hoosiers have a right to know the facts in the case and whether there was an appropriate state investigation. 

“Hoosiers deserve to learn if there was any political interference in the investigation and if not, then why fines were levied and then rescinded,” said Myers. “They deserve to know if the Governor personally interfered in the case or the investigation. This assessment and review of the evidence, including the alleged recording by the I-OSHA investigator, must be done by investigators independent of the Governor’s office or any agency under his control.”