Summer 2021 Issue

Summer 2021
EXPLOSIVES
by Scott Narreau
Page 37
In Memoriam-Ricardo Batista
Our Team would like to honor the life of one of our permit holders and stakeholders,
Ricardo Batista.
Batista tragically lost his life on June 29 after sustaining injuries from a fallen boulder
during construction operations. He was shifting rock material while working on a safety
rock stabilization project located on Highway 50 in Gunnison County near Little Blue
Creek Canyon. Batista is survived by his wife, Fawn, and he was a father of six. As an
Army Ranger during the Vietnam War, he earned two purple hearts and a bronze star. He
founded his construction blasting company, BlackWing Blasting, Inc., at the end of his
military career. Batista then became one of the original blasting business owners in
Colorado and was a longtime permit holder from our Program.
Although our Program navigated through enforcement proceedings with BlackWing
blasting, our relationship with the company strengthened as we worked closely with them,
due to the diligent efforts of Dave Knight, as he assisted the company with establishing
an inventory system framework. One of Batista’s sons will assume ownership of the
company and will continue its operations in Colorado under a new name that is yet to be
determined.