Former Extrudex execs plead not guilty in worker’s death

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Two former Extrudex Aluminum executives pleaded not guilty to covering up the death of one worker caused by unsafe machinery in 2012.

Brian K. Carder, 62, of Stow, who was the North Jackson plant’s then-general manager, and Paul Love, 57, of Lake Milton, who was its safety coordinator, each face three counts involving obstructing or conspiring to obstruct justice and investigative proceedings.

Love also faces a falsification count involving lying to investigators about the machinery.

A federal grand jury indicted both men last week, and they appeared for arraignment Tuesday in the U.S. Northern District Court. They were released on personal recognizance bonds and ordered to have no contact with Extrudex employees and to surrender their passports and other travel documents, according to court filings.

John J. Tomlin Jr., 21, of Niles, was killed in October 2012 when racks containing hot aluminum product weighing between 4,000 and 5,000 pounds that he was pushing on a conveyor tipped over, crushing him.

The indictment alleges Carder and Love were aware the conveyor system was failing and made false statements to investigators from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, withheld an email regarding the machinery’s safety and persuaded other workers to recant their previous email warnings about the machinery’s safety, “including by suggesting their jobs might be in jeopardy.”

No further court dates have been set, according to court records.