Highway worker injured in work zone crash, Maryland State Police investigating

A highway worker was injured Wednesday in an early morning crash, according to Maryland State Police (MSP).

The crash happened in Anne Arundel County along northbound I-97 near Route 32. Troopers responded to reports of a pedestrian-involved crash at 12:45 a.m. When they arrived, they found a highway worker had been hit by a car in an active work zone.

At the time, an MSP trooper was sitting in his patrol car nearby with his emergency lights activated and was able to respond to the crash quickly.  

The 31-year-old male highway worker "was transported by ground to a local trauma center for treatment," said a statement from MSP. No other injuries were reported.

At the beginning of their investigation, MSP learned that a Toyota Camry, driven by 47-year-old Javed Iqbal of Baltimore, and a Mercedes Model S, driven by 62-year-old Darrell Lamont Gough of Elkridge, were both driving northbound on I-97 while approaching an active work scene. 

Police believe that Iqbal began to slow down as he approached a lane closure when he was rear-ended by Gough's Mercedes. The Mercedes then veered into the work zone and struck the highway worker and a portable light tower, the statement said.

The cause of the crash is not known, but police believe impairment might have been a factor, according to MSP.  

The Maryland State Police Crash Team has taken over the investigation.