A routine road-maintenance assignment on Interstate 95 in Fairfield turned deadly Friday morning when 60-year-old CT DOT worker Elvin Hernandez was struck by a vehicle while working along the highway.
The crash happened around 10:35 a.m. near Exit 20 on the southbound side of I-95. Hernandez had been working with a CT DOT crew and had stepped out of a parked department truck to remove debris from the roadway area when a 2006 Buick Lucerne entered the right shoulder and struck him.
Hernandez was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Connecticut State Police identified the driver as 60-year-old Edward Myers of Derby. Investigators said Myers showed several signs of impairment following the crash, including poor coordination, slow speech and severe disorientation.
Police said Myers admitted that he had used heroin before the collision. Investigators also reported finding cocaine in his possession. Following a drug influence evaluation, police determined that Myers was under the influence.
Myers was arrested and faces charges that include second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, driving without a required ignition interlock device, failure to maintain the proper lane and possession of a controlled substance.
The ignition-interlock charge is significant because court records show Myers had previously been convicted of operating a vehicle under the influence and had been placed on probation earlier this year. Police said he was driving without the required interlock device when Friday’s crash occurred.
The crash shut down portions of I-95 south for several hours as investigators worked at the scene. Traffic was diverted while police examined the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Hernandez had worked for CT DOT since 2010 and was based at the agency’s Stratford garage. He was also a Bridgeport resident, according to local officials.
News of his death prompted an immediate response from state officials and Hernandez’s colleagues. Gov. Ned Lamont said Connecticut would lower flags to half-staff in connection with Hernandez’s funeral services once the date is established.
Lamont also urged motorists to take extra care around highway crews and roadside workers, particularly in areas where vehicles are operating close to active traffic.
CT DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto described Hernandez’s death as the kind of tragedy highway workers fear while doing their jobs. He called on drivers to slow down, move over, put away their phones and remain alert whenever workers are present along Connecticut roads.
Hernandez’s death has also drawn concern from members of the union representing CT DOT workers. Carl Chisem, president of CEUI Local 511, said road crews routinely work in dangerous conditions and depend on motorists to respect roadside work areas.
A procession of CT DOT vehicles was seen traveling toward the state medical examiner’s office in Farmington with Hernandez’s body, a somber moment for the department and his coworkers.
Myers remains in custody as the criminal case moves forward. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 28 at Bridgeport Superior Court.
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
