An employee of the state Department of Transportation was struck and killed while on the job Friday morning, officials said.
Andrew DiDomenico, 26, of Meriden, was killed while working on Interstate 91’s Wharton Brook Connector in Wallingford, according to Gov. Ned Lamont.
DiDomenico was working alongside the shoulder of the exit 13 ramp and was clearing trash for mowing crews when he was struck, according to state police.
The driver who hit DiDomenico was not immediately identified. Officials said the driver remained on scene and was taken into custody.
Flags will be lowered on the date of DiDomenico’s funeral, which has not yet been determined, Lamont said in a statement.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy and one that never should have happened,” Lamont said. “Andrew was with several of his colleagues in a work zone doing routine road maintenance when he was struck and killed by a driver. I am both outraged and saddened.”
Last year, officials launched a pilot program to deploy cameras at work zones. The goal of the “Know the Zone” program was to reduce speeding, crashes and fatalities in work zones.
Nearly 25,000 drivers received warnings as a result of the program, according to the DOT.
Lamont said all drivers need to be cautious – and slow down – when entering a work zone.
“I implore everyone getting behind the wheel to be fully alert and pay attention to what is happening on the road around them at all times,” he said. “Show some respect for the workers on our interstates and roadways by following the speed limit and reducing your speed whenever you’re near work zones."
