Eastern Iowa company charged with felony for lack of insurance following employee's death
Hawkeye Waste Systems, Inc. and four employees and "corporate officers" were charged with failure to maintain workers' compensation insurance in the Johnson County District Court on Wednesday, April 23. That charge is a Class "D" felony in Iowa, punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
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The lawsuit also names James and Chris Watts, Mary Sheen and Chris Dohrer. Dohrer is listed as the general manager of Watts Trucking, the parent company of Hawkeye Waste Systems, on LinkedIn. Watts Trucking was founded in 1948 and operates out of the Quad Cities, according to its website.
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According to court documents, Matthew Reuwsaat sustained "severe head trauma in a workplace accident" at the company's Iowa City location on Oct. 31, 2024. An online memorial post indicated that the accident involved a skid loader. Reuwsaat died at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center on Nov. 9.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, OSHA, and the Iowa Division of Workers' Compensation investigated and allegedly discovered that Hawkeye Waste Systems "does not have worker's compensationinsurance as required by Iowa Code, and has not been approved to be self-insured by theIowa Insurance Division."
Court documents accuse Hawkeye Waste Systems of "knowingly and willfully engaging in business without first obtaining" workers' compensation insurance, which is required by law.
"Prioritizing public safety means holding employers accountable for providing basic protections for workers and their families as State law requires them to do," County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann-Smith said in a statement.
Arraignment is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., May 19 at the Johnson County Courthouse.
Reuwsaat, 61, was born and raised in Newton, Iowa and graduated from Newton High School, according to an online obituary. He worked as a diesel mechanic in Iowa City. Reuwsaat married his "soulmate" in 2015. He had one daughter and three grandchildren.
"Matt had a kind heart, always willing to help anyone he could, no matter how well he knew them," the obituary said. "He never expected anything in return from those he helped. He also had a talent for fixing things and was willing to tackle any repairs."
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Eastern Iowa company faces felony charge following employee's death
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