Crane Rigger Charged in Midtown Crane Collapse

The man in charge of rigging the crane that collapsed last March at East 51st Street and killed 7 people turned himself in today to face manslaughter charges. William Rapetti, 48, was also charged with criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment and second-degree assault; his lawyer told the NY Times, "He did nothing wrong, and operated at that site in a way that is beyond reproach." However, investigators believe that Rapetti was negligent with his rigging practices, using only four nylon slings, instead of the eight recommended by the crane manufacturer, to brace the crane to the building site (and one apparently failed because it was worn) while hoisting another crane component. Rapetti's lawyer added that his client "agreed to offer his full assistance and expertise in helping to determine the actual cause or causes of the crane collapse that day."