WALLINGFORD, Conn. — Within the last five weeks, three people have died while working on Connecticut’s roadways. Now, state leaders and the family of 26-year-old Andrew DiDomenico are pleading with the public to slow down, move over and think before getting behind the wheel.
“My brother and his wife and our extended family, our lives are changed forever, and it’s unfair,” said Melissa Lombardi, DiDomenico’s aunt.
DiDomenico was killed while serving in his role as a transportation maintainer for the Connecticut Department of Transportation last Friday. Police said he was working near the Wharton Brook Connector to I-91 in Wallingford when an impaired driver, 55-year-old Denise Lucibello, veered off the road and hit him.
“Our hope is for something positive to come out of this tragedy. So that no other family has to endure the pain and suffering that our family is feeling this week, and forever,” Lombardi said.
Lombardi was joined by other members of her family, the governor, police, and representatives with the CTDOT at a Wallingford rest stop on Tuesday, as they begged Connecticut drivers to make better choices.
“When a worker is killed by an impaired driver at 9 o’clock in the morning while picking up litter tossed out car windows, we have a much deeper crisis on our hands,” said Garrett Eucalitto, commissioner for the CTDOT.
“It’s true. We are one of the worst states in the nation for impaired driving. We are constantly in the top five, often in the top three in percentage of our fatalities caused by impaired driving,” Eucalitto said.
Eucalitto said so far this year, more than 165 people have died on Connecticut’s roadways. Since May, a construction worker, a state trooper, and now DiDomenico have lost their lives while doing their jobs.
“We have now been reminded three times in the past five weeks, just over a month, of what can happen when drivers do not adhere to the Move Over Law,” said Cpt. Ben Borelli with the Connecticut State Police.
Gov. Ned Lamont said lawmakers are doing what they can to stop people from distracted and impaired driving. Those efforts include adding hundreds of flashing wrong-way signs in problem areas and soon…placing speed cameras near construction sites.
“The other 90% is up to you. You know, I need folks to look out for each other. I need you to say to someone who’s driving a car that shouldn’t be driving a car, ‘Pull over.’ I need you to say to someone who’s busy texting and not paying attention, ‘Stop it,’” Lamont said.
Those who work on Connecticut highways are begging for that message to stick.
“I’m angry. This is too much. I’ve lost too many coworkers. I’ve lost too many colleagues and contractors. You know, a lot of us get hurt,” said David Ferraro, a Construction Project Manager with CTDOT.
In 1995, Ferraro was hit by a drunk driver while working along Interstate 91 in Greenwich. While he’s now living with injuries, he’s hurting for the families of his peers who weren’t as lucky.
“There’s thousands of us like the governor said out there on the highways every day. Give us the respect we deserve, slow down and move over,” Ferraro said.
The state is working on rolling out its now-permanent work zone speed safety program. By next spring, Eucalitto said they hope to have cameras at about 15 work sites across the state, both on the highway and in secondary maintenance zones.
The DOT is also adding more wrong-way detection signs across Connecticut. By the end of the year, Eucalitto said there will be 140 of them installed in problem areas across the state.
In the meantime, the services for DiDomenico will be on Friday and Saturday of this week. His family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, gifts in Andrew’s memory can be used to establish a scholarship to benefit a Wilcox Technical High School student. Checks can be made payable to the Andrew DiDomenico Scholarship Fund c/o 60 Edgemark Acres, Meriden, CT 06451.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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