A semi-truck driver has been charged with vehicular manslaughter after hitting and killing a West Virginia Turnpike worker in Kanawha County.
According to state police troopers, Anvar Sabirov, 28, of Rego Park, NY, failed to enter the proper lane in an I-77/Turnpike work zone south of Charleston around 11 a.m. on Monday.
Investigators say he swerved to avoid a dump truck, and the back of his truck collided with Turnpike worker James Harper, 23, of Beckley, who was mending a hole in the route.
According to the criminal complaint, video shows Sabirov with his head down as his truck entered the work zone. He informed troopers he wasn’t using his phone.
The investigating trooper, Cpl. R. Phillips, wrote in the criminal complaint, “this officer believes that defendant was distracted while driving through the active work zone, looed up, sees the large dump truck with asphalt, swerves left to avoid striking the truck but struck the victim with his trailer.”
Troopers confiscated Savirov’s cell phone as part of the inquiry.
Sabirov was initially incarcerated at the South Central Regional Jail.
