Diamond Plumbing Owner Charged with Manslaughter in Norwich Trench Collapse
Amilcar Deandrade, 51, of Preston faces manslaughter charges after worker Michael DiRocco died when trench collapsed in June 2025
PublishedMarch 20, 2026
DiRocco was working inside a trench on Hamilton Court during a sewer connection project when the walls gave way and partially buried him
Plumbing Company Owner Charged in Norwich Trench Death Nearly Nine Months Later
The owner of a Connecticut plumbing company was arrested and charged with manslaughter on March 14, 2026, nearly nine months after a trench collapse on a Norwich worksite killed one of his employees.
Amilcar Deandrade, 51, of Preston, turned himself in to Norwich police at approximately 5:15 p.m. Friday. He faces charges of first-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and first-degree reckless endangerment. He was released on a $50,000 non-surety bond.
Deandrade owns Diamond Plumbing and Heating LLC, the company responsible for the worksite on Hamilton Court in Norwich where worker Michael DiRocco, 60, was fatally injured on June 14, 2025.
How the Trench Collapse Happened
DiRocco was working inside a trench on Hamilton Court during a sewer connection project when the walls gave way and partially buried him. The trench was approximately 90 feet long, five feet wide, and five feet deep. Workers were excavating the area to connect a residential sewer to the city's public sewer line.
Emergency responders transported DiRocco to Backus Hospital in Norwich, where he was pronounced dead.
Deandrade was present at the job site at the time of the collapse.
OSHA Investigation and $250,000 Fine
Following the June 2025 incident, the Connecticut Department of Labor's Division of Occupational Safety and Health launched an investigation in conjunction with Norwich police. The investigation found that Diamond Plumbing and Heating LLC committed serious safety violations.
OSHA fined the company $250,000 in January 2026 for two key violations: failing to provide a stairway, ladder, or other means for DiRocco to exit the trench as required by law, and failing to implement protective systems to shield workers from cave-in hazards.
The criminal investigation was led by Norwich Detective Heather Meikle. An arrest warrant was approved by the court and the charges against Deandrade were filed on March 13, 2026.
Charges Against Deandrade
Deandrade faces three counts:
First-degree manslaughter, a Class B felony under Connecticut law
Criminally negligent homicide, a Class D felony
First-degree reckless endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor
The most serious charge, first-degree manslaughter, carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison under Connecticut law.
Deandrade's next court appearance had not been publicly scheduled as of the date of his arrest.
Worker Safety and Trench Hazards
Trench collapses are among the most preventable types of worksite fatalities. Federal and state occupational safety regulations require that trenches deeper than five feet be equipped with protective systems such as shoring, sloping, or trench boxes to prevent cave-ins. Workers must also have a means of exit at all times.
According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, trench collapses kill dozens of workers in the United States each year. Connecticut's OSHA-approved state plan requires employers to follow the same protective standards as federal OSHA.
