Sanitation worker killed by his truck in Melville, police say

A sanitation worker was killed Monday in Melville when he fell off the back of a garbage truck and was struck by the vehicle as it was backing up, Suffolk County police said.

Jose Molina, 44, of Brentwood was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after being struck at 6 a.m. at Weinmann Boulevard and Raintree Road, a dead-end street, town and police officials said.

He had worked five years for Bay Shore-based Jody Enterprises Inc., a small business whose owner and employees are devastated, an office manager said.

The accident happened when driver Jose Arroyo, 38, was reversing by the dead-end street to pick up residential trash for Huntington Town, said Det. Lt. William Burke of the Second Precinct. There had not been enough room to turn around, Burke said.

At some point, Molina fell off the truck and Arroyo did not notice or hear anything, Burke said.

Officers from the motor carrier safety section made a safety inspection on the truck and released it to Jody Enterprises. No charges are expected, police said.