CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A tragic accident in an active construction zone on Interstate 77 South near mile marker 92 claimed the life of a road crew worker early Monday morning. Authorities believe distracted driving may have played a role in the fatal crash.
According to Cpl. R. Phillips of the responding agency, the crash occurred at approximately 4:46 a.m., when a semi-truck entered the work zone and struck the victim, identified as Mr. James Harper, a member of the road crew. Harper died at the scene from his injuries before emergency responders could arrive.
The incident was reported by Brian Bamabi, a fellow crew member and eyewitness. In a written statement, Bamabi said he was seated on a roller machine near the victim, who was preparing to pour material into a hole with his head down. Bamabi observed the semi-truck approaching, with the driver’s head down, and swerving to avoid a dump truck positioned near the victim. While the truck missed the dump truck, its box trailer struck Harper, knocking him to the ground, where he remained unresponsive.
Accident reconstruction experts photographed and documented the scene. According to Cpl. Phillips, tire marks from the trailer led directly to the victim’s location, consistent with Bamabi’s account. The body was located within the clearly marked work zone.
The truck’s driver, identified as Anvar Sabirov, provided a recorded statement after being read his Miranda rights. He claimed he maneuvered into the left lane upon entering the work zone and only remembered seeing the victim at the last second before impact. He denied being on his phone or distracted, although he couldn’t recall exactly where the victim was at the time.
Further investigation and dash camera footage from the United Carrier Inc. truck contradicted the driver’s account. Video shows the truck driving extremely close to the cones, nearly hitting Bamabi on the roller before swerving and hitting Harper. Unlike other vehicles that stayed in the left portion of the roadway to avoid workers, Sabirov’s vehicle remained dangerously close to the right side, where the construction crew was working.
Authorities report no signs of impairment in the driver, but based on evidence and witness testimony, believe driver distraction led to the fatal incident. The truck’s cell phone was seized, and investigators plan to obtain a search warrant for its call logs and app activity to determine if phone use was a factor.
The crash remains under investigation. The incident occurred in the Charleston area of Kanawha County, West Virginia, and charges may follow pending the outcome of the full investigation.
Sabirov was given a 3,300 dollar bond and is currently out on bond.
