Duty of Care

On Friday morning, October 16, 2026, José S. Rodríguez Guevada, 60, of Cayey, Puerto Rico, died after he was struck by a truck that was backing up at the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority’s (AAA) Caguas Norte filter plant in Caguas, where his employer, a contractor, was doing improvement work, according to police as reported by El Nuevo Día and WAPA-TV. Police said the incident was reported at 11:48 a.m.

According to the preliminary police report, the 40-year-old driver of a Ford F-550 was backing up when the truck struck the man, who died at the scene; a police commander told WAPA-TV that crews were removing soil that the truck was picking up, and that the driver felt an impact while reversing. The driver stayed at the scene, and an alcohol test was negative. AAA’s executive president said the man was an employee of the contractor in charge of the improvements and that the agency will cooperate fully with the investigation.

Wherever trucks back up near people on foot, the defenses to check are a spotter in clear view of the driver, a marked backing zone that keeps workers out from behind the truck, working backup alarms and cameras, and a rule that the truck stops whenever the driver loses sight of the spotter or of anyone on foot.

• El Nuevo Día
• WAPA-TV