Mine manager pleads guilty to second-degree manslaughter for recklessly operating crane that killed Grafton mine mechanic

Summary:

A mine manager, Anthony Valente, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the second degree (a Class C felony) in an upstate New York court for recklessly disregarding safety features of a crane that resulted in the death of a 35-year-old mechanic, Darren Miller, in October 2022. Valente was operating the crane at a Grafton limestone quarry and caused the crane's overhaul hook ball to detach and strike Miller, who was guiding the replacement engine into place. The investigation found that the crane had been tagged "out of service"" during prior inspections