Contractor guilty in California wildfire death labor case

The owner of a bulldozer that overturned and killed the operator while battling the Soberanes Fire has been found guilty of violating labor laws.

A Monterey County judge ruled Wednesday that 34-year-old Ian Czirban of Madera County failed to have workers’ compensation insurance that’s required for companies contracting with California’s state fire agency, Cal Fire. He was also found guilty of payroll tax evasion and submitting false documents to Cal Fire.

Czirban owned the dozer that toppled down an embankment during a 2016 wildfire near Big Sur. The operator, Robert Reagan, died. Czirban had hired Reagan to operate his bulldozer at the fire.

The DA’s Office said Czirban was a licensed contractor, but had a history of operating his business without workers’ compensation insurance. Investigators also found evidence that he had misled Cal Fire about having workers’ compensation insurance when he signed a contract in May 2014.

Czirban’s sentencing is set for December 2019. He is facing a maximum sentence of 4 years and 8 months in prison and restitution to Reagan’s heirs.

After Reagan died, two other heavy equipment contractors died while helping Cal Fire battle large wildfires. Their employers, who also didn’t have workers’ comp, were fined, cited or shut down by state officials.

KION and AP 2019