Wall Collapse Leads to Manslaughter Charge for New York Contractor

A New York construction contractor has been indicted on a manslaughter charge in connection with a Brooklyn wall collapse that killed a worker in March.

The Brooklyn district attorney says the contractor, William Lattarulo of Malverne, Long Island, owned both the construction site and the neighboring residential building in East New York.

The accident killed 30-year-old Louro Ortega of Queens, a 30-year-old father of two.

The name of Lattarulo’s attorney could not immediately be determined. Lattarulo tells the Daily News that he’s not to blame for Ortega’s death.

The March 12 collapse left several tenants homeless.

The city stopped work at the site after the accident. The buildings commissioner cited “evidence of shoddy work conditions” and said building permits had expired days before.