Ragan et al v. Rock Drillers Unlimited, Inc. et al

On January 7, 2026, a tunnel collapsed at a U.S. construction site, killing Marcus Ragan and injuring seven others. The plaintiffs sued Rock Drillers Unlimited, Inc., site manager David Colson, and subcontractor TerraFirma Foundations LLC, alleging they ignored multiple geotechnical warnings about unstable soil. Evidence showed defendants deliberately bypassed shoring requirements and falsified safety logs to meet project deadlines. The case proceeded as a wrongful death civil action alongside federal criminal charges under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Prosecutors argued that management knowingly endangered workers for profit, transforming a preventable accident into a criminal matter that drew nationwide scrutiny to construction enforcement gaps.

In October 2026, Rock Drillers Unlimited was convicted of willful safety violations and fined $4.2 million. David Colson received a 41-month federal prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. A parallel civil settlement provided $38 million to the victims' families and injured workers.

The primary dispute was whether the defendants acted with criminal negligence by intentionally disregarding known safety hazards and expert warnings, or if the collapse was an unforeseeable natural event. The prosecution contended that site manager Colson and the corporations suppressed a critical geotechnical report, while the defense maintained that the soil failure was sudden and could not have been anticipated.

The verdict prompted emergency OSHA rulemaking for underground construction and ignited congressional hearings on corporate accountability. Unions staged nationwide walkouts demanding stricter oversight, and the case set a precedent for prosecuting executives who conceal hazard reports, significantly strengthening deterrents against workplace safety crimes.