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I-75 Crash Kills DOT Worker

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TBO.com

Published: April 18, 2008

A Department of Transportation worker was killed about 12:15 a.m. today when a tractor-trailer slammed into his truck on Interstate 75 near Bradenton while he was fixing a light, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Troopers say this is what happened:

Douglas R. Smith, 46, of Bradenton, was up in a lift bucket attached to his truck. He was working on a light on Interstate 75 near State Road 64.

A Department of Transportation truck with an arrow sign was behind Smith's truck, and the driver of that truck, Hamilton Dixon, 44, of Bradenton, had set up 10 traffic cones to direct traffic around the two vehicles.

Ernesto Reyes, 51, of Miami, was driving a tractor-trailer in the right lane and apparently did not see the cones or the arrow sign. He struck the arrow sign truck, slightly injuring Dixon, and pushed Dixon's truck into Smith's vehicle, propelling all three trucks about 271 feet.

Smith was ejected from the bucket and landed on the road. He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The tractor-trailer and arrow board truck burned.

Interstate 75 northbound was closed for about four hours while troopers investigated the crash.

The Florida Highway Patrol charged Reyes with careless driving.

Anyone who saw the crash should call Cpl. David Brunner at (941) 751-7647, Ext. 131.

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