Troopers identify six highway workers killed in work zone crash on I-695
BALTIMORE -- Troopers identified six highway workers who were killed when a driver crashed into a work zone Wednesday afternoon on inner loop I-695 in Baltimore County.
Contractual workers Rolando Ruiz, 46, from 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, died when a car drove in between temporary placed jersey walls and were struck.
A video obtained by WJZ shows two cars crashing at a high rate of speed before striking the construction workers.
The car overturned and the driver of the Acura passenger vehicle, 54-year-old Lisa Adrienna Lea, from Randallstown, was taken to Shock Trauma.
A second driver involved was identified as 20-year-old Melachi Brown of Windsor Mill, Maryland State Police said.
Maryland State Police said that Lea had attempted to change from one lane to another when her vehicle struck the front corner panel on the passenger side of Brown's 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.
"I don't think I realized how bad it was until I got right to it," driver Garrett Datz. "This is probably the worst I have seen."
Hellgren went to Brown's home Thursday, but he declined to comment on the investigation.
"This is a tragic, catastrophic incident that we have never seen here at the Maryland State Police," said MSP spokesperson Elena Russo.
Hellgren asked her about possible charges.
"The Crash Team investigation is still active, and once that is complete, they will review everything with the Baltimore County state's attorney to determine what charges may be applied in this situation," Russo said.
She also said federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board were also assisting.
"Our investigators are looking at all contributing circumstances including speed, aggressive driving, maybe distracted driving and even impaired driving to see if any of those may have been a cause of what happened yesterday," Russo told Hellgren.
The husband of Dimaggio posted on Facebook, "This is my heart. My soul. My everything. …Rest now. We will meet again soon."
He told Hellgren his wife was an amazing person who loved her job. He also said she found the work site where she was killed "unnerving" and was at times "terrified" of the dangers.
Simmons' family members declined comment.
"If you see a work zone, it really is imperative to be extra alert, particularly when there are people outside of their vehicles working to improve our road conditions," Russo said.
