WILLIAMSBURG, Ind. — A 33-year-old highway worker from Richmond suffered numerous injuries after being struck by a vehicle while setting up traffic cones on Tuesday.
According to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana Department of Transportation worker was setting up the cones along northbound U.S. 35 near Williamsburg when a driver disregarded a flagman and struck the worker with her 2015 gray Ford Escape.
The INDOT worker had to be airlifted to a hospital in Dayton, Ohio, but was reported to be alert and conscious prior to being flown away. The sheriff’s department said the Richmond man suffered numerous lacerations and abrasions to his head, legs and back along with possible internal injuries.
Investigators concluded that the driver, identified as a 34-year-old woman from Richmond, disregarded a flagman and drove around the flagman, his vehicle, and multiple warning signs on U.S. 35 northbound.
The INDOT driver was on the back of a state highway vehicle placing cones on the centerline of U.S. 35 when the highway vehicle veered to the side of the road, fearing the Ford Escape was going to drive head-on into it.
The INDOT worker reportedly jumped off the truck and tried to run to safety across U.S. 35, the sheriff’s department said, but the Ford Escape driver is accused of veering too hard and striking the fleeing INDOT worker.
State highway workers said the driver of the Escape never appeared to slow down and nearly struck the state highway vehicle before even realizing the workers were there, the sheriff’s department reported.
At this time, no charges have been announced for the driver of the Escape.
An investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
