Saturday, September 18, 2004

My Friend Jerry

I once tried to organize a union at my workplace and got threatened verbally and physically by the workers there who hated unions. Management even tried to fire me a couple of times but my ILWU contact was Jerry ,who knew all of the legal ways for me to keep my job.
Jerry died last Wednesday.


Benicia Man Killed In Napa County Crash

By Bay City News Service
NAPA, CA - The Napa County Sheriff's Department has identified Jerome Martin, 57, of Benicia, as the man who died in a four-vehicle crash that closed Silverado Trail near Yountville for four hours Wednesday afternoon.


The California Highway Patrol said evidence of alcohol was found in Martin's 1994 Toyota pickup.
An autopsy is scheduled for this afternoon and toxicology test results will take a few weeks, said sheriff's Capt. Mike Loughran.
The CHP said Martin was driving the pickup at about 55 mph northbound on Silverado Trail north of Yountville Cross Road at around 3 p.m. when he drifted to the right and struck a metal guardrail.
The pickup then crossed over double yellow lines into the southbound lane of the highway and struck a southbound 1998 International Tractor trailer driven by Stephen Borchard, 42, of Middletown. Borchard was not hurt.
During that collision the left front wheel of the trailer detached and struck a 2000 Pontiac van driven by John Harmyk, 42, of Middletown. Harmyk was not hurt.
The CHP said the pickup then spun northbound out of control and hit the left side of a 1999 Chevrolet Ventura van driven by Luz Navarret, 40, of Napa. Her van collided with a guardrail on the west side of the road and she was taken as a precaution to Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa.
The Toyota pickup came to rest in the northbound lane of Silverado Trail.
CHP Officer Gerald Rico said Martin was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:10 p.m.

Jerry and I worked very closely to unionize a bunch of SF Bay Area messenger companies, with varying degrees of success.
I will miss the planning plotting and scheming in his office at the ILWU building.
If there is a heaven I know Jerry will be there.




1 comment:

Jemmie-Bean said...

I'm not sure who you are or if I've ever met you, but Jerry was my father. His death tears my heart to its very core. After I heard of the accident, I flew to California for the viewing at the memorial at one of the ILWU halls.

Thank you for the respect you had for my dad. He was a wonderful man and will be missed by almost everyone who knew him.

Should you wish to get in touch with me, you may email me at Jemmie211@yahoo.com.

Aloha,
Jennifer Martin