News
SPRING HILL — A construction worker was killed Tuesday when a Brooksville woman's pickup plowed over a barrel barrier, continued along the closed lane and slammed into him, authorities said.
Steven Thompson, 28, was working on a road project in a closed westbound lane of Spring Hill Drive, just east of Spring Park Way, about noon when Karen Macchione failed to merge into the one open lane, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
Macchione, 43, drove her 2005 Dodge Ram along the closed lane, straight toward the road project, an FHP a report said.
The front left of her truck hit Thompson, sending him flying, the FHP said.
Thompson, of Dade City, rushed to Spring Hill Regional Hospital, where he died.
Macchione was uninjured. Her truck had about $2,000 damage, a report says
Since 2005, Macchione has picked up nine traffic charges in Hernando County, records say.
The Highway Patrol said Wednesday it was waiting for toxicology results before deciding on charges for Macchione.
A representative of Thompson's employer, Beesley Construction Co. of Leesburg, expressed her condolences Wednesday, but declined to comment further.
Hernando Sheriff Al Nienhuis reminded motorists to use caution in construction zones.
"Drivers should be very careful and abide by the posted construction zone speed limit. It is not just for the safety of the construction workers; it is the law," Nienhuis said. "Losing an employee to a senseless tragedy does not just affect the employee's entire family, it will affect the victim's co-workers, and of course the driver who caused the death."
Staff writer Marissa Lang contributed to this report. John Woodrow Cox can be reached at (352) 848-1432 or jcox@sptimes.com.
Loading...
