Margarita Mojica Update: Judge Orders Printing Company Executives to Trial

Printing press workers ordered to trial

​A judge ruled this morning that there is enough evidence to order two Digital Pre-Press International workers to trial for the tragic death of 26-year-old Margarita Mojica, who was 17 weeks pregnant when she was crushed to death by a machine while working at the Potrero Hill printing press in 2008.

Judge Newton Lam announced his decision this morning after hearing three weeks of testimony in a preliminary hearings, where prosecutors argued that the defendants, Sanjay Sakhuja, owner of Digital Pre-Press International, and Alick Yeung, the pressroom manager, violated worker safety laws, leading to Mojica's tragic death.

"Employers bear the responsibility for providing safe and healthy conditions for their workers," said District Attorney George Gascón. "By its ruling, the court found that there was sufficient evidence supporting the charges."
Both men have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and violating labor and health safety laws.

On Jan. 29, 2008, Mojica was preparing a box creasing and cutting machine to start a job at the Potrero Hill plant. She was leaning into the machine when it suddenly activated, and closed on her. It was 20 minutes before firefighters could rescue her from the machine.

Prosecutors argued that workers were not properly trained on safety procedures, including how to turn off the machine's power before reaching into the equipment to set up creasing and cutting jobs. The complaint also stated that the machine which crushed Mojica did not have the proper safety devices.

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