Company 'heartbroken' after construction worker hit, killed by suspected drunk driver

DETROIT (WJBK) - Dave Snell worked for a Detroit area construction company for 13 years. But his career and life came to a tragic end Thursday morning when police said a drunk driver crashed into him, killing him at the scene.

The 57-year-old construction worker was installing steel barricades that would protect workers from dangerous drivers at 12:50 Thursday morning on I-75 in Detroit.

Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw says a woman driving a GMC Terrain was going north on I-75 when she ran off the road into the construction zone. She hit a large piece of construction equipment, and a pickup truck where two workers were hooking up a utility trailer. 

"This is someone that's not gonna be coming home today another family may end up losing her daughter 12 lengthy prison sentence," Shaw said.

Construction worker killed by alleged drunk driver on I-75

Police said the driver was believed to be drunk and veered to the right when she crashed into Snell and another worker. Police say they could small alcohol on the female driver, and that she failed a sobriety test. She's been arrested and taken to the Detroit Detention Facility. 

""We talk about it all the time. We harp on it; we see it every commercial on TV practically about drinking and driving, and this is just another example of two lives that are going to be changed due to the fact that someone couldn't take an Uber, a taxi, get a piggy back ride, a designated driver; you name it," said Shaw.

Snell, from Bay City, was the foreman on the 7-member crew. The other construction worker, in his 40s, suffered minor injuries. Both worked for C.A. Hull doing contracting work for MDOT. 

Snell had been with the company 2005 and leaves behind a wife and two grown sons. His boss, Mike Malloure, said that he would stay at a hotel during the week then go back to Bay City on the weekends to be with his wife. He said he was a company man:

"David was a wonderful man, a true gentleman, always smiling and would do anything for you. He was a family man and we are heartbroken here." 

The suspect was taken into custody and will likely face criminal charges.