Man Attacked DOT Worker On I-84 In West Hartford: State Police

WEST HARTFORD, CT — An East Hartford man was arrested and charged in connection with the assault of a state Department of Transportation worker working on Interstate 84, state police said.

State police said Wednesday afternoon that Luis Moreno Jr., 31, of East Hartford, was charged with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace.

Police said he posted a $1,000 cash/surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court Aug. 29.

According to state police at Troop H in Hartford, Moreno's arrest is tied to an incident late Tuesday night on I-84's westbound lane in a construction zone near Exit 41.

Police said they were notified of the incident at 11:58 p.m. Tuesday, when the right lane was closed, with two lanes open to traffic.

Upon arrival, troopers learned a DOT employee had been struck in the face by a motorist who had exited his car after he had driven into the "active construction pattern," police said.

Police said, when the DOT employee directed the motorist to exit the pattern, the motorist stopped his vehicle, exited and allegedly assaulted the DOT worker before returning to his vehicle and leaving the scene.

A contracted highway worker then followed the accused in his vehicle to the accused’s workplace, where the contractor was met by state police, according to police.

The accused was identified as Moreno Jr. After a brief investigation, Moreno Jr. was taken into custody, police said.

Authorities said the DOT worker was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries and was released.

Wednesday, state police said this incident is an example that motorists must be wary of highway construction, especially in the summer.

"Your Connecticut State Troopers remind motorists to pay extra attention when traveling through construction zones," police said in a statement.

"Due to our seasons, road construction is very common at this time of year. Please leave yourself adequate travel time to arrive at your destination, anticipate construction patterns and traffic, and be patient as our partners at CT DOT and other workers upgrade, maintain and keep our roads safe for travel."