Abstract: At 9:00 a.m. on May 16, 2024, Employee #2 was performing asphalt repair work on a roadway, filling potholes with hot mix asphalt. Employee #1, driving a work vehicle towing an asphalt trailer loaded with two tons of hot mix, stopped in the closed inside lane of the work zone. Employee #2 exited the passenger side and began applying asphalt to a spall in the road surface. Meanwhile, a semi-truck in the right lane, traveling through a line of traffic, merged unexpectedly into the closed lane, striking the rear of the asphalt trailer and fatally injuring Employee #2. Employee #1, who was in the driver's seat reaching for his gloves, sustained minor injuries and was transported by private vehicle to the hospital, where he was treated and released.