The Virginia State Police on Monday said the VDOT subcontractor struck by a vehicle driven by a suspected drunk driver is expected to recover from his injuries.
Meanwhile, the driver for the vehicle, Keiron Chardel Pollard, 30, of the 500 block of Dunning Street, Williamsburg, was arrested and charged with felony hit and run, DUI (2nd offense), reckless driving, and child endangerment.
Police said Pollard had a 4-year-old child in the vehicle.
It happened Saturday. At around 1:34 p.m., police dispatchers received several calls of a Chevrolet Suburban, whose driver had struck a pedestrian, and was fleeing the scene.
The incident was on the westbound lanes of Interstate 64 at the 236 mile marker, inside the safety work zone area which was blocked from the normal flow of traffic by jersey walls, state police said.
“According to witnesses and the preliminary investigation conducted at the scene, traffic in the westbound lanes was heavy and congested,” Sgt. Michelle Anaya, state police spokeswoman, said in a news release. “Witnesses observed the 2009 Suburban drive around the cones and behind the jersey wall, proceeding down a lane that was being constructed, in order to avoid the congested traffic.”
Anaya said Pollard struck the subcontractor, Richard T. Hogue, of Lanexa, and continued through the safety work zone.
Pollard exited the safety work zone back onto the interstate, where he attempted to exit at the 243 mile marker before running out of gas.
Hogue suffered serious injuries and was taken to Riverside Doctors Hospital in Williamsburg. He was later flown to the Medical College of Virginia.
Troopers found the Suburban stopped on the 234 mile marker exit ramp.
“In interviewing the Pollard on the accident, he was found to be intoxicated while driving with a 4-year-old child in the vehicle,” Anaya said.