NEW:
Indiana State Police have released the name of the ITRCC maintenance worker who was struck and killed while working on the side of the Indiana Toll Road. He is identified as Ronald Smith, 61, of Edwardsburg, Michigan.
ORIGINAL POST:
Indiana State Police are investigating a crash that killed an Indiana Toll Road worker.
(You can read the ISP release below.)
St. Joseph County- This afternoon an Indiana Toll Road maintenance worker was struck and killed while performing work outside of his vehicle.
On July 2, 2020, around 1:50 p.m., Indiana State Police received calls of crash on the Indiana Toll Road, near the 81.5 mile marker eastbound, that involved a white SUV that possibly struck a pedestrian before continuing off the road and rolling over in the ditch.
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Andrew Inczauskis indicates that an ITRCC maintenance worker had parked his red maintenance truck on the right shoulder on the Toll Road with emergency lights activated. The maintenance worker exited his vehicle and was sweeping debris from the right shoulder in front of his truck when a white 2010 Toyota Highlander that was travelling eastbound is alleged to have driven off the road to the right, side-swiping the maintenance truck and then striking the maintenance worker, killing him.
The Toyota continued off the roadway, rolling over and coming to a final rest in the ditch on the south side of the road.
The driver of the Toyota, Charles Bellows, age 70 of Wayzata, MN and passenger, Deborah Bellows, age 69 of Wayzata, MN, were transported to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, IN with injuries that are believed to be minor
This crash investigation is ongoing but the use of alcohol and drugs is not suspected of contributing to this crash.
Indiana law requires vehicles to move into an adjacent lane or slow to at least ten miles under the speed limit when approaching emergency vehicles on the side of the road with lights activated. Highway maintenance vehicles are included under this law.
The Indiana State Police was assisted by Clay Territory Fire and EMS, The St. Joseph County Coroner, Tony's Mobil, and ITRCC Maintenance.