RIHFIELD, Ohio - 41-year-old Randy Roginski of Richfield was part of a construction crew working to repave the southbound lanes of Interstate 271 when he was hit and killed late Tuesday.
Ohio Highway Patrol Sergeant Dean Christ says the accident happened just before midnight when workers had closed the left lane, leaving the right lane of the interstate open to traffic.
"For some reason (Roginski) was out there in the open lane and was performing some type of markings on the roadway" Sgt Christ tells Fox 8 News.
The sergeant said the 49-year-old driver who hit him was in the open lane of traffic and that the speed limit at the construction site had not been decreased from its normal 65 miles per hour.
"They had traffic cones that kind of infringed into that right lane, so traffic that was open in that right lane they were also using a portion of the berm to proceed." Sgt. Christ added.
The highway patrol says after Roginski was hit the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with authorities.
Sgt Christ says the area was well marked two miles ahead of the construction zone and he says a Penninsula Ohio Police Officer was there at the site providing enforcement.
A highway patrol reconstruction team had been at the site afterwards conducting a detailed investigation and investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the site on Wednesday for a first hand look.
Sgt. Christ tells Fox 8 it may be two weeks before the investigation is completed adding that the details would most likely be turned over to the Summit County Prosecutors office afterwards to determine what charges if any might be filed.
The Ohio Department of Transportation takes construction site safety very seriously and spokesman Justin Chesnic of ODOT's Akron regional office says the fatality points to the need for drivers to use an extra measure of caution when in a work zone.
"Those workers are putting their lives out there all the time and they are right next to the road and vehicles are driving through there all the time, thats why drivers need to pay attention." Chesnic told Fox 8 News.
Even though the posted speed limit had not been decreased at the site, ODOT still believes it is safest if drivers slow down in construction zones.
"Every work zone is different there's different barricades, different barrels there's different cones in different situations but the main thing is just remember as you are driving through there those workers are literally feet away from you" said Chesnic.
Ohio Highway Patrol Sergeant Dean Christ says the accident happened just before midnight when workers had closed the left lane, leaving the right lane of the interstate open to traffic.
"For some reason (Roginski) was out there in the open lane and was performing some type of markings on the roadway" Sgt Christ tells Fox 8 News.
The sergeant said the 49-year-old driver who hit him was in the open lane of traffic and that the speed limit at the construction site had not been decreased from its normal 65 miles per hour.
"They had traffic cones that kind of infringed into that right lane, so traffic that was open in that right lane they were also using a portion of the berm to proceed." Sgt. Christ added.
The highway patrol says after Roginski was hit the driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with authorities.
Sgt Christ says the area was well marked two miles ahead of the construction zone and he says a Penninsula Ohio Police Officer was there at the site providing enforcement.
A highway patrol reconstruction team had been at the site afterwards conducting a detailed investigation and investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the site on Wednesday for a first hand look.
Sgt. Christ tells Fox 8 it may be two weeks before the investigation is completed adding that the details would most likely be turned over to the Summit County Prosecutors office afterwards to determine what charges if any might be filed.
The Ohio Department of Transportation takes construction site safety very seriously and spokesman Justin Chesnic of ODOT's Akron regional office says the fatality points to the need for drivers to use an extra measure of caution when in a work zone.
"Those workers are putting their lives out there all the time and they are right next to the road and vehicles are driving through there all the time, thats why drivers need to pay attention." Chesnic told Fox 8 News.
Even though the posted speed limit had not been decreased at the site, ODOT still believes it is safest if drivers slow down in construction zones.
"Every work zone is different there's different barricades, different barrels there's different cones in different situations but the main thing is just remember as you are driving through there those workers are literally feet away from you" said Chesnic.
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