Construction worker killed in crash on I-65 in Hobart

A construction worker was killed when he was struck by an SUV that drove into a construction area Wednesday morning on I-65 in northwest Indiana.

A 23-year-old woman was driving a 2013 GMC SUV north on I-65 about one mile south of the Ridge Road exit in Hobart about 9:35 a.m. She moved from the left lane to the middle lane behind a semi truck, then went to the right and hit a construction barrel separating traffic from a construction area, according to Indiana State Police.

After striking the barrel, the SUV continued into the construction area, where a worker was cutting a joint for a patch in the pavement with a concrete saw on a caddy, police said. The SUV hit another barrel and struck the worker, throwing him into the windshield.

The worker then hit a 2016 Ford F-250 pickup that was directly behind him and owned by the construction company, and landed about 100 feet in front of the pickup, police said.

The worker, identified as 35-year-old Brandon Fiscus of LaPorte, Indiana, suffered massive blunt force trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:30 a.m., according to the Lake County coroner’s office. His manner of death is pending.

The saw was dragged under the GMC and ended up in right and middle lanes of northbound I-65, police said.

All northbound lanes were closed for more than two hours after the crash.

The construction in the area has been ongoing since May, and is marked off with signage, as well as barrels and cones, ISP said.

Police did not say whether or not the driver would be charged.