WASHINGTON COUNTY, Va. — A 26-year-old man is facing several charges after driving into a Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) worker and then leaving the scene in the southwestern part of Virginia on Tuesday.
Virginia State Police said the 58-year-old VDOT employee was clearing a tree that had fallen across Woodland Hills Road Tuesday night — while wearing a reflective vest — when he was hit by a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt.
Witnesses told troopers the driver of the Chevrolet stopped briefly to remove a tree limb that was stuck underneath his car before leaving the scene.
The VDOT employee is being treated at Johnson City Medical Center for serious injuries, according to State Police.
During the investigation, State Police located the Cobalt parked at a residence approximately 3-4 miles away from the crash scene. They identified the driver as Shawn R. Smith of Abingdon, Virginia.
Smith was charged with hit and run, driving on a suspended license (10th offense) and reckless driving.
The crash remains under investigation.
