A Maryland highway worker is hospitalized after a multi-vehicle crash led a car into an active construction zone on Interstate 97 early Wednesday.
The safety lights of a marked patrol car were already flashing against the darkness of Interstate 97 when the sequence of events began to unfold at 12:45 a.m. Wednesday. A lane closure was in place. an active work zone meant to keep crews safe. but minutes later. one of those workers would be headed to a trauma center.
Maryland State Police were called to the northbound lanes near Maryland Route 32 following a collision that spiraled into an emergency scene. Investigators found that a Toyota Camry. driven by 47-year-old Baltimore resident Javed Iqbal. was slowing down to accommodate the lane closure. Behind him, 62-year-old Darrell Lamont Gough of Elkridge was driving a Mercedes.
When the Mercedes struck the back of the Camry, the impact sent it veering into the work zone. The vehicle plowed into a portable light tower before striking a 31-year-old highway worker.
The worker remains under treatment at a local trauma center; no other injuries were reported from the scene. despite the presence of the state trooper stationed nearby. While the Maryland State Police Crash Team continues to piece together the evidence. they have indicated that impairment may have been a contributing factor in the incident.
The collision highlights the volatility of roadside work zones, where crews rely on the vigilance of passing motorists. Investigators are now weighing potential charges as they work to determine exactly what led to the initial crash. For now, the investigation remains active.
Anne Arundel County I-97 highway worker Maryland State Police traffic crash construction zone Javed Iqbal Darrell Lamont Gough