Three New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) workers were injured Wednesday morning when a vehicle struck them in an active work zone on State Route 36 in the Steuben County town of Hornellsville.
According to the New York State Police, the crash occurred at approximately 11:13 a.m. near the intersection of County Route 70A. A preliminary investigation revealed that a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder, driven by 30-year-old Brooke Burdett of Arkport, was traveling southbound when it entered the work zone and struck the three workers before colliding with a parked DOT vehicle.
Emergency services responded quickly to the scene. Two of the injured workers, ages 52 and 60, were transported by ambulance to St. James Hospital in Hornell. A third worker, age 30, sustained more serious injuries and was airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. All three are expected to survive, authorities said.
The New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and members of the Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) are actively investigating the incident.
No charges have been announced at this time, and police have not released information regarding possible contributing factors to the crash.
Statement from State DOT Commissioner Maria Therese Dominguez:
“Today in the early afternoon, on Route 36 in the Town of Hornellsville, Steuben County, three of our NYSDOT highway maintenance workers were sent to the hospital – one in serious condition – following a high-speed work zone intrusion. While the circumstances behind the crash are still under investigation, this irresponsible behavior on the roadway needs to stop. We just lost Highway Maintenance Supervisor Robert Bornt – one of our own – just 12 days ago in a horrific work zone crash, and our entire team is still reeling from this senseless loss of life. I am pleading with the traveling public: SLOW DOWN, MOVE OVER, PAY ATTENTION and please respect the fact that our workers are out on the roadways doing their job – and their job is to keep the traveling public safe. So, in return, please keep them safe.”
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