WAYNE COUNTY — A highway worker was flown to Miami Valley Hospital after he was hit by a vehicle in Wayne County, Indiana Tuesday.
Deputies responded to the crash on US 35 south of Brooks Road near Williamsburg around 8:25 a.m., the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said.
According to the sheriff’s office, it had been reported that an employee with the Indiana State Highway had been struck while setting up traffic cones to close the northbound lanes of US 35.
The INDOT worker, a 33-year-old man, suffered “numerous” lacerations and abrasions to his head, legs and back, along with possible internal injuries. The man was alert and speaking with medics before being flown to Miami Valley Hospital, the sheriff’s office said.
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The driver, a 34-year-old woman, was driving northbound on US 35. The preliminary investigation indicated she disregarded the flagman who was stopping northbound traffic, drove around the flagman, his vehicle, and two warning signs, then continued northbound on US 35, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office says she continued northbound for more than one-quarter mile when she came upon another state highway vehicle which was southbound on the northbound lane placing traffic cones on the center line of US 35.
The man was on the back of the vehicle with another employee placing cones on the center line.
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The driver of the truck sounded his horn and began to veer off the east side of US 35 as he believed they were going to be struck head-on.
The man jumped off the back of the vehicle to run to safety across US 35. As he was running across US 35, the woman reportedly veered hard to the west and struck him.
The other people in the state highway vehicle indicated it appeared the woman never slowed and nearly struck them before she realized they were there.
The sheriff’s office says the woman was taken to Reid Hospital for a toxicology screening.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
News Center 7 will continue updating this story as we learn more.
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