The Delaware Department of Transportation is cautioning motorists about roadside workers after second fatality in recent weeks.
The crash occurred at about 1:55 p.m. Tuesday on southbound Route 1, just south of Clapham Road and resulted in vehicular homicide charges.
Heath B. Janssen, 41 of Dover, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to state police. Janssen, a Verizon employee, was placing equipment into the back of his work truck after checking a phone line in the area, police said.
Janssen’s work vehicle, a 2006 Ford F36 box truck, was pulled over on the southbound shoulder surrounded by cones near the entrance of the Valero gas station on 7865 Bay Road, police said
Zachary M. Krytzer, 27 of Milton, was operating a 2002 Mitsubishi Montero on southbound Del. 1 (Bay Road) just south of Clapham Road, police said. The Montero drifted onto the southbound shoulder and struck a mailbox and road reflector, before striking and pinning Janssen to the rear of his work truck, troopers reported.
Upon Krytzer’s release from the hospital Thursday afternoon, he was transported to Troop 3 in Camden where he was charged with Vehicular Homicide 1st and Driving Under the Influence of Drugs. He was video arraigned at JP2 and released after posting $20,500.00 secured bond.
DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan said, “For the second time in less than one month, Delaware and DelDOT are mourning the loss of another worker killed in a highway work zone. Our entire agency is deeply saddened by the loss yesterday of Heath Janssen and our sympathies go out to his family, friends and his fellow employees at Verizon. Heath lost his life while working out of his van parked on the shoulder of Delaware Route 1. The area was clearly identified as part of the work zone for the Little Heaven Grade Separated Interchange Project and safety cones were in place around his work area.
“All drivers need to be aware they put themselves and the men and women who work along our roads at grave risk when they fail to slow down and be attentive to traffic control devices in work zones. It is simply unacceptable to lose brave highway workers in needless crashes that could be avoided. Too many drivers are speeding through work zones and are failing to pay attention behind the wheel. Drivers in Delaware can and must do better.”
Earlier, a worker for Sussex Protection Service was killed while in the process of setting up an area for construction work along Interstate 95 in the Wilmington area.
