Union Leaders Demand Action after 2 Workers Killed Within Days of Each Other

Safety at Work

Leaders of one of Maryland’s largest unions are asking the state to take action after two Maryland highway workers were killed in separate incidents just days apart.

The leaders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said the Maryland Department of Transportation needs to better protect its workers when putting them in hazardous situations.

AFSCME Council 3 President Patrick Moran said more enforcement is needed. His group represents more than 50,000 members, including roughly 26,000 state government workers.

“People see a trooper on the side of the road, and they get over. They see a road truck, a road crew … and it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s just a road crew. I can’t get a ticket from the road crew.’ So, they’re just barreling through, and then something bad happens,” he said.

Moran and others met with Maryland Transportation Secretary Katie Thompson to press for changes.

"Our message is clear: There can be no more excuses, no more delays," Moran said. "We need action. We need work. We need to save lives."

The move comes after two Maryland state highway workers were killed in roadway incidents over the course of a little more than 72 hours.

On April 28, just before 1 p.m., Dipakkumar Patel, 70, was sitting inside his work vehicle on Route 13 in Somerset County. His work vehicle was struck by another car.

“The preliminary investigation indicates a highway worker, later identified as Patel, was sitting stationary inside a marked Maryland Department of Transportation Ford Fusion on Route 13 working on a highway maintenance project,” Maryland State Police said in a press release. “For reasons unknown at this time, the operator of a Dodge Caravan, identified as Amanda Correa, 31, of Salisbury, struck the rear of Patel’s vehicle.  Correa had one passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Both were transported by ambulance to an area hospital.”

Patel died at the scene.

Prior to that, on April 25, Robert Dempsey was setting up traffic cones on the Capital  Beltway in Prince George’s County when he was hit by a car.

“The preliminary investigation indicates a highway worker, later identified as Dempsey, was outside of his emergency work vehicle setting up cones on the ramp from St. Barnabas Road for traffic control when he was struck by a Mazda CX5 traveling on the ramp,” state police reported. “The driver of the Mazda CX5, identified as Joshua Anderson, 41, of Fort Washington, was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for medical treatment. Charges are pending outcome of the investigation.”

Dempsey was also killed at the scene.

The Maryland Department of Transportation issued its sympathy in a statement.

“The Maryland Department of Transportation is outraged by the recent deaths of two dedicated public servants,” the department said. “No person – whether that be a road worker or traveler – should lose their life in a crash. All crashes are preventable, and the continued disregard for roadway workers is unacceptable. Drivers need to do better.”

After meeting with union leaders, the MDOT reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring road worker safety and "appreciated the opportunity to engage with AFSCME leadership."

It’s not the first time the state has seen multiple tragedies on the road in a short time. In 2023, six state highway workers were killed in a double crash along the Baltimore Beltway in Woodlawn.

The recent deaths echo a 2023 tragedy in which six state highway workers were killed in a double crash along the Baltimore Beltway in Woodlawn. Two drivers were convicted in that case. One of the drivers, Lisa Lea, pleaded guilty to six counts of vehicular manslaughter. Officials said she was driving over 100 miles per hour when she collided with another driver during the collision. Both of those cars crashed into a work zone along I-695, killing the six workers.

The other driver, Malachi Brown, was also speeding, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter.

An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found Lea was moving across three lanes of traffic when she hit Brown, and had delta-9 THC and cyclobenzaprine in her system which may have impaired her ability to drive.

In 2022, Maryland expanded its “move over” law that requires drivers to change lanes or slow down when approaching stopped vehicles with their hazard lights or warning signals on.

Union leaders said more needs to be done though, including improved in-person training, clearer signage and better equipment.

According to MDOT data, work zone crashes, deaths, and injuries decreased in 2025. However, union officials said that only proves that taking action can prevent further fatalities.

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