(Lake County, IN) - A construction worker from La Porte was killed earlier this week in a work zone accident.  It happened Tuesday morning on US 41 south of Lowell in Lake County, near the state line.  Reports indicate a semi-truck plowed into a pickup and a tanker truck spraying tar on a roadway project.

 

The semi allegedly changed lanes and did not yield for the construction vehicles.  The tank truck rolled into a ditch. Its driver, 63-year-old Martin Knip of La Porte, was pronounced dead of blunt force trauma at the scene.

 

The Times of NW Indiana reports that Knip worked for the asphalt contractor Walsh & Kelly.  The tragedy was felt throughout the local construction community.  "It's definitely been a tough week, obviously," said INDOT spokesperson Cassandra Bajek.  "The construction guys often know each other, even if they work for INDOT or for Walsh & Kelly or Rieth Riley.  A lot of them are friends and have gotten to know each other throughout the years.  So it's definitely tough on everyone to hear that something like that has happened."

 

Bajek says INDOT put extra emphasis this week on construction zone safety.