MILWAUKEE — A scary moment on Interstate 94 Tuesday morning for a couple of Milwaukee County highway workers.
A driver fell asleep at the wheel, and collided with a crew trying to fix a guardrail near the I-41/94 northbound College Avenue on-ramp.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office says the workers were working on the ramp when an oncoming car hit their vehicle, causing the vehicle to hit them. The Sheriff's office says the two workers were conscious and breathing when first responders arrived. They were taken to the hospital for treatment, along with the driver in the crash.
This video was captured by WisDOT cameras and shared with us by SafetyVid.org. It shows first responders arriving to the scene, just after 3 A.M.
First responders blocked most of the lane of the ramp off, directing traffic to stay in the left inside lanes.
Sergeant Andrew Bilda with the Sheriff's Office confirmed the driver fell asleep, hit a plow truck, which was spun and then hit the workers.
"The car was pushed into them and then they were pushed, one of them on top of the guardrail and one on the other side," Sgt. Bilda said.
He adds crews had all the appropriate lights and barriers required for doing road work at night.
"When they're doing something like this, they'll have 2 or 3 plow trucks and then another truck with an impact cushion trailer on the back of it to help protect the scene when they're doing their work," Sgt. Bilda added.
The workers and the driver did go to the hospital. Family members tell TMJ4 one of the highway workers has been released and returned home.
And those safety measures likely saved the workers' lives.
Sgt. Bilda also reminded drivers to be conscious of amber lights and big trucks along the side of the highway, by slowing down, moving over and giving crews room to work.
"If you are driving and you are tired, maybe stop and pull over and get off on an exit, stop and get a coffee," Sgt. Bilda adds.
Deputies say the driver who hit the workers showed no signs of intoxication or impairment. The driver was cited for inattentive driving, and officials told TMJ4 News it's likely there won't be other charges.
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