'That's a dangerous place': AAA describes risks of working in construction zones on busy highways

BALTIMORE -- A crash in a work zone on 695 in Baltimore County left six construction workers dead on Wednesday.

The tragic crash was a reminder of the dangers highway workers face every day.

Data from the National Safety Council shows how dangerous it is for highway construction workers.

Thousands of cars, many of those reaching high rates of speed, zip past each day.

The nonprofit said that in 2020, more than 44,000 people were injured in work zones. More than 857 people died.

The majority of the victims were drivers, but the second highest category of fatalities were pedestrians in those work zones.

"When people, when their office basically is on the side of the road, that is a very dangerous set of circumstances," said Ragina Ali, Public Government Affairs Manager with AAA. "That's a dangerous place to call your workplace and we have to do better."

Ali told WJZ highway work zones are especially dangerous because of changes in travel patterns.

"We'll leave that to the police to determine exactly what factors were in play here, but what we can't deny and what we can't ignore is that unfortunately, yesterday, tragically, six people lost their lives, working on the roads to make us all safe. So it's incumbent upon drivers to be safe as well."

The six victims were contractors and not state employees, but Patrick Moran, a spokesperson for the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a union that represents thousands of state workers, said the group si always pushing for more more safety measures, like trucks that act as barriers for workers.

"They were people that went to work with the expectation of going home in the same condition that they arrived at work," said Moran. "And unfortunately, that is not the case due to probably one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. And that's working on our interstate highway system and roads in general.

Maryland State Police have not determined a cause for this fatal crash.

It's a Maryland Law for cars to slow down or change lanes when approaching any stopped, standing or parked cars displaying warning signals - called the "Move Over Law."

Some drivers told WJZ they have changed their driving habits just to be safe on the roads.

"But then that just makes me say you got to be extra careful now," Kelly said.

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.

The driver of the Acura passenger car, identified as 54-year-old Lisa Adrienna Lea, from Randallstown, was taken to Shock Trauma.

Troopers said Lea had attempted to change from one lane to another when her vehicle struck the front corner panel on the passenger side of 20-year-old Melachi Brown's white Volkswagen. 

Crash Team investigators believe this caused Lea to lose control and veer into the work zone.

The crash on I-695 at Security Boulevard shut down lanes in both directions for hours.

"Unbelievable," driver Jane said. "It was just so tragic and no words."