Highway Worker Killed in Somerset County Crash on US Rt 13

Somerset County, MD - A highway worker lost his life Tuesday afternoon after a crash on US 13 in Princess Anne, Maryland. Maryland State Police are now leading the investigation into what caused the deadly collision.

The victim has been identified as Dipakkumar Patel, 70, of Delmar, Maryland. Emergency medical personnel from Somerset County responded to the scene but were unable to save him. Patel was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigators, the crash happened shortly before 12:40 p.m. on northbound US 13 at King Miller Road. Troopers from the Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barrack were dispatched to the area after the collision was reported.

Patel was a state highway worker who was sitting stationary inside a marked Maryland Department of Transportation Ford Fusion at the time of the crash. He was working on a highway maintenance project along Route 13 when the incident occurred.

For reasons that are still unknown, a Dodge Caravan rear-ended his vehicle. The driver of the Caravan has been identified as Amanda Correa, 31, of Salisbury, Maryland. She had one passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Both Correa and her passenger were transported by ambulance to an area hospital. The extent of their injuries has not been released at this time.

Northbound US 13 lanes remain closed at Revels Neck Road as investigators continue their work at the scene. Personnel from the MDOT State Highway Administration are on scene helping manage lane closures and detours.

Drivers in the area should expect delays and plan alternate routes.

This tragedy is a sobering reminder of the dangers highway workers face every day on the job. Men and women who work along our roadways depend on drivers to slow down and pay attention in work zones.

The findings of the investigation will be turned over to the Office of the State's Attorney in Somerset County for review. The Maryland State Police Crash Team is actively leading the ongoing investigation.

No additional information has been released at this time.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.