On Thursday morning, one Iowa transportation worker was killed and another injured in a Pottawattamie County work zone.
According to a report by the Iowa State Patrol, Matthew Dickerson was standing at the back of a maintenance pickup while conducting asphalt work when he was hit by a semi-truck. He was 36 years old.
The crash happened at 9:15 a.m., when an eastbound UPS semi-truck driven by a Pennsylvania man tried to pass another vehicle on I-80, entering the left lane. That lane was closed, indicated by two DOT attenuator trucks outfitted with electric signboards. The semi-truck drove between the attenuator and other vehicles, striking Dickerson.
Another worker, 45-year-old Jordan Hargens, was inside the pickup as the semi struck it, and the ISP report indicated that the seatbelt he was wearing saved his life. He was injured but transported to an area hospital.
Both workers appear to have been on the job for less than a year, based out of Neola. Listings on the Iowa DOT website indicate Hargens became a highway technician associate in October 2023 while Dickerson started the same position in December 2023.
At this time, it is unknown whether the semi-truck driver will face charges.
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Source: KETV.com, 3 News Now
