Wood Chipper Malfunction Killed NJ Man, Family's Lawsuit Says

FLEMINGTON, NJ — The family of a Flemington man, who was killed in a wood chipper accident, is suing the manufacturer, claiming the machine malfunctioned.

Nagel Rice, attorneys for 22-year-old Eonias Mateo-Perez's parents, filed the lawsuit in Hunterdon County Superior Court on Oct. 21 against Bandit Industries.

On June 10, 2024, Flemington police were called to the St. Magdalen Cemetery where they found the body of Mateo-Perez, who was using a Bandit 19xPC hand-fed wood chipper, according to the lawsuit.

"At the time of the incident, and unbeknownst to [Mateo-Perez], the Woodchipper malfunctioned and/or improperly operated without the necessary safety mechanisms, causing [Mateo-Perez] to be pulled into the wood chipper at a high rate of speed, sending [Mateo-Perez] through the wood chipper, causing [Mateo-Perez] to sustain severe and permanent injuries, including death," according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims the wood chipper was "defective because the product lacked adequate warnings, lacked features necessary to make it safe for its intended use, contained design features which made it unsafe for its intended purpose, was designed in such a way that the wood chipper did not properly shut off, and did not prevent a user being drawn into the machine."

At the time of the accident, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated the incident. The incident was believed to be an accident and no foul play was suspected.

The parents are demanding judgment against Bandit Industries, claiming they have sustained pecuniary injuries, including the value of Mateo-Perez's companionship and the loss of his prospective services in the future, together with any hospital, medical and funeral expenses incurred for the Mateo-Perez.

Bandit Industries did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.

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