Highway worker chases down drunken motorist who hit him in work zone

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- For the third time this month, a highway worker in the St. Louis area was struck by a car. This time, he not only survived but chased down the allegedly drunken driver who hit him.

The incident happened Thursday, the same day Missouri Department of Transportation director Pete Rahn pleaded with motorists to drive cautiously in work zones following two fatal accidents involving highway workers. Both of those accidents also happened in the St. Louis area.

Workers for Penhall Co. of Rogers, Minn., were doing contract work for MoDOT, smoothing a lane of eastbound Interstate 70 just east of Interstate 370. Cones and barrels were set up diverting traffic away from the right lane, where the crew was working.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Al Nothum said that around 8:15 p.m., a pickup truck driven by Gary Buettner, 49, of Affton, swerved around the barrels and into the work zone. A mirror of the truck clipped one worker, whose name was not released. He was grazed on the shoulder but did not require hospitalization.

"It was a very close call," Nothum said. "I was told another six to eight inches and he would have been history."

A co-worker came to the man's aid, and the two of them jumped into a pickup to chase down the motorist. Nothum said they pulled alongside Buettner on I-70 and yelled out the window for him to pull over. Buettner's truck then sideswiped the workers' truck -- Nothum said investigators weren't sure if it was intentional.

Buettner exited and pulled into a QuikTrip convenience store, where the workers pinned in the truck and called the Highway Patrol, Nothum said. Buettner was arrested for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of two accidents.

No charges had been filed by Friday morning, St. Charles County prosecutor Jack Banas said.

Highway workers are still on edge after what MoDOT officials have called the senseless deaths of contract worker Michael Poahway on Aug. 9 and MoDOT motorist assist worker Ken Hoierman on Tuesday.

Poahway, 50, of Cache, Okla., was part of a crew doing resurfacing work on Interstate 64 in west St. Louis County when he was struck by a car. The driver was charged with involuntary manslaughter and DWI.

Hoierman, 38, was assisting at the scene of a car fire on Interstate 55 in south St. Louis County when he was killed Tuesday. The 69-year-old driver told police she didn't see him until it was too late. Rahn urged prosecution against the woman.

Ironically, Hoierman was interviewed by KSDK-TV after Poahway's death.

"Please slow down," he said in the interview. "Obey the signs. If it says right lane closed, move over. Watch out for the workers, and once again, please slow down and watch out for us here."

His funeral was Friday.