CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — A car struck two workers in a construction zone Monday afternoon on Highway 150 in Catawba County, killing one and seriously hurting another, troopers said.
Those who knew the man who died, 23-year-old Ryan Tanner, are devastated.
“Ryan is that kid that everyone wants to be their son,” said Gary McClelland, owner, owner of Quality Traffic Safety, out of Lenoir.
McClelland says the work zone was in place for a gas line installation.
State troopers say a flagger was directing westbound traffic into the eastbound lane. One driver failed to follow the other cars, striking Ryan Tanner and another worker who were moving cones.
“People don’t pay attention,” McClelland said.
Jaleeza Horton worked with Tanner at another site hours before the deadly wreck.
She says Tanner was overseeing that flagging operation when a car nearly hit her.
“We were putting cones on the road, and he was on my right, and I was on his left, and next thing you know Ryan saved me from being hit by a car,” Horton said.
State troopers say the driver in the wreck was going approximately 45 mph when he struck the men.
They say they’re still consulting with the district attorney about possible charges.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says during 2021 there were more than 6,000 crashes in work zones, which killed 29 people.
VIDEO: Construction worker killed on Catawba County highway, 1 more hurt
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