Truck Driver Sues Contractors Over Head Injury at Abilene Data-Center Site

A 49-year-old truck driver filed suit against two contractors after he was struck on the head by a chain at the Stargate data center construction site in Abilene, Texas, on March 14. Daniel Gonzalez told Time he blacked out after the chain knocked off his hard hat and was later diagnosed with a closed-head injury at a nearby medical center. It was the first injury in his 25 years as a driver.

Gonzalez is suing Kiewit Corporation, whose subsidiary The Industrial Company is building the site, and MMR Group. He alleges negligence and systemic safety issues, including lack of communication equipment and understaffing. Kiewit stated that safety is core to its operations.

MMR stated that employee health and safety is a fundamental value. Time reviewed OSHA reports showing three separate incidents in 2025 at the first Abilene Stargate site that left workers with leg fractures. One worker was pinned under a mini excavator on May 23, suffering fractures to both femurs, pelvis, and right ankle.

OSHA issued a $5,674 penalty to DPR Construction, which was later withdrawn in a settlement. A week later, three 1,400-pound glass panels fell on another worker, causing a femoral shaft fracture that required surgery. On July 28, a worker fell from a ladder after a jack slipped and sustained fractures to the left tibia and fibula; OSHA reduced a $21,000 penalty to $13,000 after finding good faith by the subcontractor.

Taylor County Sheriff's Office records show 911 was called from the site 14 times since December 2024. Incidents included a foot run over by a machine, a neck injury from a fallen object, possible heat stroke, and an apparent heart attack of an employee in his mid-20s.