Update (April 29, 2025): Authorities have identified the workers affected by this accident. Hector Hernandez, 56, died after being transported to the hospital, while Ricky West, 63, suffered moderate injuries.
Cumberland County, PA — April 14, 2025, one person was killed and another was injured in a truck accident at about 4:30 a.m. on State Route 581/Capital Beltway.
Authorities said an eastbound FedEx semi-truck crashed into a construction vehicle in a work zone in Camp Hill Borough. Workers had been picking up cones on the highway between Exit 3 and Exit 5.
Both people in the construction vehicle had to be extricated by emergency personnel, according to police. One of them died after being transported to the hospital, while the other was being treated for unspecified injuries.
No other injuries were reported.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Cumberland County crash at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When a semi-truck strikes a construction vehicle in an active work zone, especially in the early morning hours, the central legal question is whether the truck driver failed to recognize or respond appropriately to the work activity ahead. Based on the available details, it appears the FedEx truck was traveling through a marked construction area where workers were actively picking up traffic cones. That’s exactly the kind of scenario where professional drivers are expected to exercise the highest level of caution.
Work zones are inherently hazardous environments, and the law reflects that. In many jurisdictions, including Pennsylvania, reduced speed limits, increased penalties and heightened duty of care apply in these areas, particularly during active work. The fact that the construction crew was in the process of removing cones suggests this was a live operation, not just a zone marked by signage.
From a legal standpoint, one of the first issues investigators need to look at is whether the truck driver was speeding, distracted or fatigued. At 4:30 in the morning, visibility is limited, and driver alertness is often at its lowest. Did the driver miss signs indicating lane closures or work ahead? Was he using a phone or adjusting equipment inside the cab? Those details will be critical in determining fault.
The truck’s engine control module should be downloaded to examine vehicle speed, braking and throttle activity leading up to the impact. If there was a last-second attempt to stop or swerve, that could show delayed recognition of the hazard. If there was no action taken at all, the question becomes: why not?
It’s also important to consider whether the work zone was set up properly and in accordance with state guidelines. Were there advance warning signs, flaggers or flashing arrow boards? Was the construction vehicle clearly marked with reflective material or warning lights? While the truck driver holds a heightened responsibility, failure to adequately mark a work zone could also contribute to the cause of a crash.
That said, the burden in these situations typically falls more heavily on the commercial driver. When a semi-truck barrels into a work zone and injures or kills road workers, it’s not just a traffic incident: it’s a failure to observe basic safety expectations that every professional driver is supposed to follow. Those workers had a right to expect that the people passing through their work zone would do so carefully, at a safe speed and with full attention on the road.
Ultimately, this crash will likely come down to one key question: did the truck driver have enough time, warning and visibility to avoid the collision, and if so, why didn’t that happen? Because when someone loses their life doing their job on the side of a highway, the investigation shouldn’t stop at the crash scene. It should go all the way back to the choices and responsibilities that led a commercial truck into a place it should never have been.
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