A North Carolina Department of Transportation employee died Wednesday June 2nd in a tragic accident off a work-zone along I-40.

DOT employee, 21-year old Jonathan King, was hit by a tractor-trailer while setting up a work-zone along I-40 in Dublin County. Officials say the driver of the tractor-trailer took his eyes off the road for a second and swerved off the road, hitting and pinning King between two vehicles.

King is the first employee the North Carolina DOT has lost in a workplace accident in three years.  One other employee was injured in the accident, but has been released by the hospital. The driver of the tractor-trailer is facing charges of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and several other charges.

DOT supervisor Rodney Poe stated that the biggest difficulty is trying to get drivers to slow down when driving through construction zones.

Our sympathies go out to King’s family and friends.