Injured worker pulled from under highway paving machine

VANCOUVER, Wash. - A highway construction worker was seriously hurt and had to be pulled from beneath a large paving machine early Thursday morning in Vancouver.

The accident took place at about 3:30 a.m. on a highway paving project near the intersection of Interstate 5 and State Road 500 in Vancouver. The injured man was working for Granite Construction.

He was identified by the Washington State Patrol as Justin Pitts of Gresham and was in critical condition. Family members said he went into surgery for a broken pelvis and his injuries were no longer considered life-threatening.

It took about 45 minutes for fire crews to pull Pitts from under the machine and Granite Construction officials said an initial attempt to lift the paving machine off of him with another piece of equipment did not work.

Granite Construction said earlier reports the paving machine fell back onto Pitts a second time were not accurate.

A coworker said he wasn't sure how the accident happened since workers typically spot each other when equipment is being moved around. The paving machine was backing up when Pitts was hit, he said.

"I actually just want to go home, get this day over with," said Nick Chrisman, who was working at the site and witnessed the accident. Chrisman said he worries more about having an accident with vehicle traffic going by the job site than with the equipment the crew uses.

Pitts was flown to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver and then to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland for further treatment.

The Washington State Patrol and investigators with Washington Labor and Industry are investigating the incident. Officials with Granite Construction said they will also investigate what caused the accident. They said the company has an excellent safety record with its last work-related injury occurring almost two years ago.

Company officials said Pitts is a mechanic responsible for servicing equipment on scene.