Dad Thinks Heat Stroke Killed UPS Driver, 24, on the Job

A California UPS driver died on the job on June 25, and the 24-year-old's family says high temperatures are to blame. KTLA reports Esteban Chavez Jr. lost consciousness in the driver's seat of his UPS truck in Pasadena, a fact that his father says wasn't discovered by the owner of the house he had delivered a package to for 20 minutes after he made the delivery. "By (the) time first responders showed up, obviously it was a little too late," says Esteban Chavez Sr., who noted his son's birthday had been the day prior. An official cause of death is still pending, but the elder Chavez seems convinced it was heat stroke. ABC7 reports that temps hit the upper 90s that day.

"Those trucks are a hot box. They have all these guys running around, delivering packages and trying to meet their quotas and do their jobs," he says. UPS issued a statement that reads, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our driver Esteban Chavez, and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends. We are cooperating with the investigating authorities and are respectfully deferring questions about this incident to them." The 24-year-old had worked for the company for four years. A GoFundMe set up to raise money to pay for funeral and memorial services costs has exceeded its goal and has currently raised $25,000. (More heat stories.)