DA Won’t Prosecute Driver that Hit Flagger in Pennsylvania

Glare obstructed vision, officials say.

Oct. 16, 2025

2 min read

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By: Jenna Wise
Source: pennlive.com (TNS)

A SUV driver who struck and killed a flagger last year in a Lancaster County construction zone won’t face criminal charges.

That’s because investigators found the driver was traveling under the speed limit and had a glare from the sun on their windshield on Oct. 10, 2024, when he hit Linetta Wells, 56, in Manor Township.

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The crash happened at 7:38 a.m. at the intersection of Stone Mill and Plymouth roads, east of Manor Township Community Park.

The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office ruled Wells, of Pottstown, died from multiple traumatic injuries.

Erik Yabor, spokesman for the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, told PennLive the driver “used caution and entered the traffic pattern driving several miles an hour less than the speed limit, and due to the angle of the sun, experienced an overwhelming glare which obstructed his vision.”

The speed and the glare were confirmed during an independent investigation, Yabor said.

After its own investigation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said Wexcon, a Berks County-based utility contractor, failed to provide a safe working environment by having flaggers work in an incomplete traffic pattern at the time of the crash.

OSHA fined Wexcon $14,000 and closed its investigation on June 26.

According to LancasterOnline, Wells had worked for Wexcon since 2020. Wexcon declined to comment when reached by PennLive.

Wells, known as “Poochie” among loved ones, was known for her “carefree spirit and vibrant personality,” according to her obituary.

“Her spirit was always shining bright, a life filled with joy and laughter,” the obituary said.