SEVERN, MD — A Baltimore road construction worker hit by a car in a work zone on July 26 died from his injuries on Sunday, according to Anne Arundel County Police. Worker Walter I. Gonzalez-Lopez, 56, of Baltimore died at Maryland Shock Trauma and any charges will be filed after review by the State’s Attorney.
A Severn woman suspected of driving drunk when she struck Gonzalez-Lopez and a co-worker on Annapolis Road after they had closed a lane on MD-175 at Walker Drive in Severn. The two employees of Peak Incorporated had put cones out to close the right lane of northbound Annapolis Road for the State Highway Administration.
The work was almost complete and the right lane had been closed for over half a mile when a 1994 GMC Sierra pickup driven by Valerie Helen Matthews, 63, of the 8400 block of Pioneer Drive in Severn, reportedly entered the closed lane and struck the two workers as they stood in the closed section, according to Anne Arundel County Police.
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Matthews was not injured, but was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and taken for an alcohol test. Authorities say the cause of the crash was Matthews' failure to obey the marked lane closure and alcohol was also a likely contributing factor.
Worker Edin O. Romero-Maldonado, 19, of Baltimore suffered serious injuries, police say.
Peak Incorporated is located in Columbia, Maryland. This organization primarily operates in the Highway and Street Construction business / industry within the Heavy Construction, Except Building Construction, Contractor sector. This organization has been operating for approximately 36 years. Peak Incorporated is estimated to generate $4.9 million in annual revenues, and employs approximately 20 people at this single location.
Here is the police press release:
In a updated press release authored and distributed by the AACo Police, one person has died as the result of being struck by a vehicle on RT-175 near Fort Meade.
On July 26, 2017 at approximately 9:25 p.m., officers responded to a report of two pedestrians struck on Annapolis Road (MD-175) at Walker Drive in Severn. Investigation showed that two construction workers of Peak Incorporated were implementing an authorized lane closure by coning off the right lane of northbound Annapolis Road for the State Highway Administration. The coning was almost complete and the right lane had been closed for over ½ mile when the driver of the GMC entered the closed lane and struck the two workers that were standing in the closed lane of the roadway.
Both workers were taken to Shock Trauma in Baltimore, one with critical injuries and one with possible serious injuries. The driver of the GMC was not injured but was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and taken for an alcohol test. The cause of the crash was the GMC driver’s failure to obey the marked lane closure and alcohol was also a likely contributing factor. The Traffic Safety Section is handing the investigation and any charges will be after review by the State’s Attorney.
Vehicle: GMC Sierra Pickup
Driver: Valerie H. Matthews
Age: 63
Severn MD, 21144
Pedestrian #1
Walter I. Gonzalez-Lopez
Age 56
Deceased - Shock Trauma
Baltimore, MD
Pedestrian #2
Edin O. Romero-MaldonadoAge: 19
serious injuries – Shock Trauma
Baltimore, MD
On July 30, 2017, Walter I. Gonzalez-Lopez died as a result of his injuries while being treated at Maryland Shock Trauma. The Traffic Safety Section is handing the investigation and any charges will be after review by the State’s Attorneys office.
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Highway construction worker dies from injuries
July 30, 2017 4:24 pm
BALTIMORE, MD (AP) — A highway construction worker has died from injuries he received when he was hit by a truck.
Local media report that Walter I. Gonzales-Lopez, a 56-year-old Baltimore resident, died Sunday.
He and a co-worker were struck Wednesday in a closed portion of Annapolis Road. Valerie Helen Matthews, a 63-year-old woman from Severn, drove into a closed lane and hit the workers with her pickup truck, police said.
The lane had been closed for more than a mile before Matthews entered it, police said. She was not injured in the incident.
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A highway construction worker died has from injuries he suffered when he was struck by a truck while working on Route 175 Wednesday.
Walter I. Gonzalez-Lopez, 56, of Baltimore died Sunday while being treated at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.
Anne Arundel County police are investigating the accident and any potential charges will be reviewed by the county State's Attorney's office.
At about 9:25 p.m. county police officers responded to a report of two pedestrians struck on Route 175, known locally as Annapolis Road. Gonzalez-Lopez was struck alongside co-worker Edin O. Romero-Maldonado, 19, also of Baltimore.
The two had closed off a portion of Annapolis Road for construction work when a GMC Sierra Pickup driven by Valerie Helen Matthews, 63, of Severn broke into the closed lane and hit both men, police said.
Gonzalez-Lopez was taken to the trauma center with critical injuries while Romero-Maldonado was seriously injured and taken to the trauma center as well.
The lane had been closed for more than a half mile when Matthews entered, police said. Matthews was not injured and police said the cause could be linked to alcohol. Mathews took a Breathalizer test, but the results have not been released.
Traffic investigations like this can take months, said Lt. Ryan Frashure, police spokesman.
In 2003, Matthews received probation before judgment on charges that she was driving or attempting to drive while under the influence of alcohol.
Under probation before judgment, a person pleads guilty but the plea is then stricken from the court record. The judge sets a period of probation that must be successfully completed.
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SEVERN, Md. (WBFF) - One of two construction workers who were injured after being struck by a pick-up truck earlier this week has died.
Walter I. Gonzalex-Lopez, 56, of Berkshire Road in Baltimore, was struck at about 9:25 p.m. on July 26 while working on a lane closure on Annapolis Road at Walker Drive in Severn.
The driver of a 1994 GMC Sierra pick-up truck, 63-year-old Valerie Matthews of Severn, entered a closed lane and struck both Gonzalez-Lopez and 19-year-old Edin Romero-Maldonado, of Ferman Avenue in Baltimore.
Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, said Anne Arundel County police.
Gonzalez died after being taken to Shock Trauma, announced police on July 30.
Romero-Maldonado was also taken to Shock Trauma with serious injuries.
The driver of the pick-up truck was not injured.
Any charges will be filed after review by the State's Attorney, said police.