Highway worker killed on Beltway ramp as Work Zone Awareness Week ends

A Maryland highway worker was struck and killed on a ramp to the Beltway in Prince George’s County while responding to a crash over the weekend.

Flowers now mark the spot where 40-year-old Robert Dempsey of Ellicott City was killed, a reminder of how dangerous his job can be.

Dempsey was setting up cones along the ramp just off St. Barnabas Road Saturday afternoon to direct traffic around the two cars involved in the crash when he was struck by a Mazda.

He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Last week was National Work Zone Awareness Week. Officials in Maryland gathered to remind drivers to be mindful of the dangers that crews face every day on the job. Some crews with a sincere message.

“Be safe in your travels and continue to help us keep everyone going home safely every day,” said Dawn Hopkins of Flagger Force.

The State Highway Administration sent a statement saying, “SHA is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our dedicated emergency responders while on-duty responding to a disabled motorist on I-95/I-495 in Prince George’s County. SHA reminds all motorist to slow down, move over, and stay alert when approaching workers on our roadways.”

The Maryland State Police Crash Team says the investigation into Saturday’s incident is ongoing and charges are pending.

The driver of the Mazda stayed at the scene.

Last year, there were nine work zone deaths in Maryland.

Maryland implemented a tiered fine structure for work zone safety violations, which led to a drop in the number of deadly crashes.

But according to the latest traffic safety numbers, there were still more than 1,300 work zone crashes in 2025 and more than 400 people were hurt.