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Car hits, kills Caltrans worker on freeway ramp

A Caltrans worker was reportedly struck and killed on Northbound 15-eastbound 94, according to California Highway Patrol.
Car hits, kills Caltrans worker on freeway ramp

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A sedan struck and killed a 52-year-old state transportation maintenance worker Monday on a Mount Hope-area freeway ramp.

Richard Gonzalez of San Ysidro was with a crew cleaning up trash in a median alongside the northbound Interstate 15 connector to eastbound State Route 94 when the white Cadillac struck him about 8:40 a.m., according to Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol. Gonzalez died at the scene.

The driver, whose name was not immediately available, was initially detained, but then released.

Gonzalez, who had worked for Caltrans since July 2008, is survived by his wife and sons, ages 12 and 22.

He was the third maintenance employee with the state agency to lose his life on the job in the past seven weeks. Landscape worker Stephen Palmer, 64, of Jamul was struck by a trolley in National City on May 4, and 53-year-old Jaime Obeso of Imperial was hit by a vehicle June 7 on a job site alongside Interstate 8 in the El Centro area.

Caltrans District Director Laurie Berman said the agency's personnel were "in shock with the passing of Mr. Gonzalez."

"This is a reminder that highway work is among the most dangerous professions and (that) we desperately need motorists to slow down and pay strict attention when driving, especially through our road-maintenance and construction work zones," she said.

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