A construction subcontractor and father of seven died in a scaffolding accident while working at an elementary school modernization project in Berkeley last week.
The worker, Jonathan Dillard Guidi, was 41 years old and from Sacramento, according to Alameda County Sheriff’s Technician Brandi Foscalina.
Guidi fell approximately 40 feet from a scaffold, according to Berkeley Fire Department spokesperson Dafina Dailey. The Fire Department received a 911 call for Guidi at 12:50 p.m. on July 24, and he was found in critical condition before being transported to a hospital, Dailey said.
The accident occurred at Sylvia Mendez Elementary School, according to Berkeley Unified School District spokesperson Trish McDermott. The elementary school is currently undergoing a renovation project, and no students or staff were at the site, McDermott said.
“We value the many contractors and subcontractors who are involved in modernizing our schools,” McDermott said. “The family and construction crew remain in our thoughts. We send them strength and comfort at this difficult time.”
The investigation regarding Guidi’s death is still open at the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau. The office expects to close the case in the next three to six months, Foscalina said.
The Berkeley Police Department is conducting a death investigation, and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is conducting a workplace safety investigation, according to Berkeley Police Officer Jessica Perry.
Guidi’s family is aiming to raise $35,000 on GoFundMe to support funeral expenses and immediate living costs. The account had raised more than $29,525 as of early Friday morning.
“JD was the heart of every room he entered — the kind of person who lit up a space with his laugh, his goofy jokes, and his even goofier dance moves,” the GoFundMe reads. “He made everyone feel welcome, often opening his home to friends and family in need. He had the biggest heart and always put others first. There are simply no words to describe the hole his absence leaves behind.”
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