Teresa M. Howell, 24, of Greenwich, was struck and killed as she was working along U.S. 33, in Jerome Township, at 8:59 a.m. Friday. Howell was with the Lake Erie Construction Company, sent to perform guardrail maintenance. She was killed after a 2004 Kenworth truck, hauling a 2014 Great Dane trailer, drove through safety cones and killed her. The driver has been identified but not charged. The investigation is ongoing.
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Law enforcement officials will continue their investigation of a construction worker who was killed by a hit-and-run Friday morning.
According to a press release from the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Teresa M. Howell, 24, of Greenwich, was working in a construction zone on U.S. 33, in Jerome Township Friday morning. At 8:59 a.m. that day, 2004 Kenworth truck, hauling a 2014 Great Dane trailer, drove over orange safety cones on the right hand lane of U.S. 33, west of Route 161, and struck and killed Howell.
The driver of the truck has been identified, but is not yet charged. Tom Morgan, Union County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy, said since the suspect has not been charged, the department will not release his or her name.
“The investigation is still in progress,” Morgan said. “Until we have all the facts, they will not be charged.”
Howell was employed by the Lake Erie Construction Company, which was subcontracted by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to work on guardrail maintenance on U.S. 33.
The tractor and trailer are owned by Estep Express Incorporated, located in Mansfield. They were both found in a warehouse area at 1580 Williams Rd., Columbus, about 90 minutes after the crash occurred. The truck was reported to be hauling perishable food items.
The Sheriff’s Office, Multi County Crash Investigation Team, Union County Coroner’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Enforcement Unit are continuing their investigation.
The results of the investigation will be sent to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office for presentation to a future Union County Grand Jury.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Ohio State Highway Patrol, ODOT and the Marysville Division of Police. The Jerome Township Fire Department and Washington Township Fire Department assisted at the scene.