GALION — An Ohio Department of Transportation employee was injured after her ODOT vehicle was struck from behind by a tractor-trailer.
According to an eyewitness report to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office deputies on scene, a female employee was traveling westbound on U.S. 30 just east of Ohio 598 at approximately noon on Wednesday.
The witness said the truck was towing an active arrow sign in the right lane when a semi approached the truck and struck the signage and truck, pushing the truck off the right side of the roadway. The semi was able to stop further down the road with the arrow sign still underneath the vehicle.
The woman in the ODOT truck was transported by Portsmouth Emergency Ambulance Service to Galion Community Hospital and was taken by medical helicopter to Grant Medical Center in Columbus for precautionary measures. She was reportedly conscious when she was removed from the scene of the crash.
The semi had a door decal of a farm from New London. The male driver was not injured but was seen by medical personnel on the scene as a precaution.
A public information officer with the ODOT District 3 office said the department would like to remind motorists to always drive with caution through work zones.
“It is important that they slow down and move over for all roadside workers. If they are unable to move over, we ask that they slow down – not only for their safety, but for the safety of our workers as well,” the statement said.
The Jefferson Township Volunteer Fire Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol also responded to the scene.
Names were not released by law enforcement due to the ongoing investigation.