Two state road crews were struck within 10 minutes of each other while working on Interstate 90 in Cuyahoga County on Tuesday.
The Ohio Department of Transportation said a vehicle hit a truck positioned to protect a crew collecting litter on I-90 West near East 260th Street in Euclid around 1 a.m.
About 10 minutes after the first crash, another truck positioned to protect a pothole crew on the other side of the highway was also struck.
2 of our crews were hit overnight on I-90 in Euclid. One crew was picking up litter and the other pothole patching. The crashes happened just 10 minutes apart on opposite sides of the highway.
— ODOT Cleveland (@ODOT_Cleveland) April 28, 2026
This is why it is so crucial to drop distractions and drive sober. #MoveOver #SlowDown pic.twitter.com/AUsWXSTLDU
Kyle Kovacs, an ODOT spokesperson, said the workers were simply trying to do their jobs.
"We get so many complaints about litter, and that's why we are out there at night, because the traffic is low and we want to pick up the litter, so our roadways look clean,” Kovacs said. “But we need your help. We need your help so we can do our job safely."
Kovacs addressed local media during a press conference Tuesday while standing in front of the mangled front end of the ODOT truck that was hit.
"What is behind me is a stark reminder of the importance of making common sense decisions while driving,” said Kovacs, referencing the truck damage.
There was also a crash in Richland County Tuesday morning, when a truck drove through barricades and struck a parked trackhoe on state Route 97. There were no workers on site at the time of the crash, according to ODOT.
Fifty-two road crews have been hit so far this year across Ohio, including four this week, said ODOT Press Secretary Matt Bruning.
"I have yet to meet an ODOT employee that does not have, at least, a close-call story,” Bruning said. “That is unacceptable to me in many regards, because these people are out there just trying to keep all of us safe. They’re trying to make sure the roads we drive on are in good condition. There’s no reason that they should have to risk their life to do that."
Ohio has a Move Over Law that requires drivers to move over and slow down for any stationary vehicle with flashing lights on the side of the road, including utility crews and maintenance vehicles.
“This just goes to underscore the importance of paying attention,” Bruning said. “We talk about ‘move over and slow down,’ which is obviously key. But you can’t move over and slow down for something you don’t even see in the first place.”
The drivers of the protective trucks in Euclid were taken to the hospital for evaluation and later released, according to Kovacs. The drivers accused of causing the crashes were cited, he added.
