Excessive speed, unsafe lane changing caused deadly I-695 work zone crash, final NTSB report shows
BALTIMORE -- The excessive speed of two cars and unsafe lane changing were found to be probable causes of the I-695 work zone crash that killed six construction workers in March 2023, according to the final report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Investigators say Lisa Lea and Melachi Brown were traveling more than 100 mph when they collided, lost control and crashed into the work zone.
A video obtained by WJZ shows the two cars crashing at a high rate of speed.
The report reveals that Lea tried to change across three lanes at a high speed and clipped Brown's car before crashing into the road workers. The drivers were not cited for racing.
She also had a "measured concentration of delta-9 THC in her blood," according to the report, and used the medication cyclobenzaprine which may have had some potential to impair her driving ability.
Brown is serving a home detention sentence after being released early. Lea's trial is expected to begin in April.
Safety protocols met
Investigators said the work zone configuration met applicable state and federal standards and the Maryland State Highway Administration and the contractor conducted daily inspections, which showed no discernible safety issues.
The report revealed the workers were trained appropriately, while ongoing safety reviews were part of the project process.
NTSB's investigation shows that a concrete barrier system prevented Brown's car from entering the work zone during the initial portion of the collision sequence.
And, while there was an opening in the concrete barriers that allowed Lea's car to enter the work zone after losing control, her excessive speed was the key factor in determining how far the vehicle traveled into the work zone as it overturned, resulting in the workers' deaths.
Medical event not cause of crash
In their initial report, NTSB said Lea had a history of seizures and didn't take her medication prior to the crash. However, the final report says medical records provided no specific evidence to corroborate that information.
The report revealed that the circumstances of the crash were not obviously indicative of a sudden medical event, and it was "not possible to clearly attribute her performance or decision-making to a medical condition."
After the work zone crash
Since the crash, MDSHA planned several changes to the work zone, including closing the adjacent lane when work is taking place and blocking the work zone opening with a protection vehicle.
In response to the crash, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called for the creation of the Work Zone Safety Work Group, which Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller chairs.
The workgroup helped create a new state law that gets more automated speed cameras in work zones, as well as increased the fines for drivers.
The six road workers
Maryland State Police identified the six contractual workers who were killed as Rolando Ruiz, 46, of Laurel; Carlos Orlando Villatoro Escobar, 43, of Frederick; Jose Armando Escobar, 52, of Frederick; Mahlon Simmons III, 31, of Union Bridge; Mahlon Simmons II, 52, of Union Bridge; and Sybil Lee Dimaggio, 46, of Glen Burnie.