AMARILLO, TEXAS -- A City of Amarillo employee was killed on Thursday morning while in the process of airing up a tire on a road grader, police said.
The employee was identified as 57-year-old Gary Duwayne Witt. .
At about 10:20 on Thursday morning, police said the employee was airing up a tire on a motor grader when there was a malfunction. According to police, the locking ring that secures the rim to the tire creating an air tight seal malfunctioned and created a large amount of air pressure.
Police said the pressure finally gave away and blew the locking ring off striking the employee in the head and chest area.
An autopsy has been ordered by a Justice of the Peace.
No one else was injured.
