Woman charged after construction worker killed on I-95
LUMBERTON, NC (WTVD) -- The Lumberton Police Department says a construction worker was killed and a second seriously hurt when they were hit by a vehicle on Interstate 95 north at the 16 mile marker in Robeson County.
It happened just before 5 a.m. not far from the South Carolina border.
Investigators said 53-year-old Pamela Gail Johnstone of Sewickley, Pennsylvania was headed north in a Jeep Liberty as 27-year-old Michael Paris of Zebulon and 31-year-old Sergio Escobar of Middlesex - both employees of Stay Alert Safety Service - were preparing to open up the interstate from a work zone.
Paris - who was picking up road signs - was hit first. The Jeep then hit Escobar, killing him.
Paris is at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill in critical condition.
"He had damage to his leg, to his elbow, and to his head," said Lumberton Police Department Maj. Tony Barnes.
Johnstone is charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, failure to maintain lane control, and failure to reduce speed in a work zone.
"I think she probably just wasn't paying attention. I don't know if she was sleep deprived. I don't know if her attention was diverted," said Maj. Barnes.
Bond was set at $50,000.
Police said the incident is a reminder to slow down and look out for workers in construction zones.
"Whether it's law enforcement, fire, EMS, construction workers or whatever...they're extremely vulnerable and it's dangerous. It really is," said Maj. Barnes.
