Update: Workers hit, killed on I-75, identified

The two workers killed on I-75 South near the Norris/Clinton exit have now been identified.

Cheyenne Dakota Burke, 18 and of Bulls Gap was killed, as was Jeffrey Bryan Thompon, 19 and of Rogersville.

The men were tightening cables on a guardrail when a pickup truck towing aluminum on a flatbed trailer hit them.

Burke and Thompson were employed by Lu, Inc. of Kingston Springs, Tennessee.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said the truck started swerving, crossed into the median, and hit them.

That truck's driver has now been identified as 50-year-old James Hatfield of Huntsville, Tennessee.

The guardrail stopped the truck from crossing over to oncoming traffic.

Southbound I-75 was completely closed and northbound was down to one lane.

The interstate reopened about 4:00 Monday afternoon.

Dispatchers got the 911 call around 10:45 a.m. Monday.

Any charges in the incident depend on the outcome of the THP investigation.

TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely has released a statement of sympathy for the workers' families:

I speak for everyone here at the Tennessee Department of Transportation when I say our deepest sympathies are with the families, co-workers and friends of the two highway workers from Lu, Inc. who were struck and killed today along I-75 in Anderson County. Highway construction workers put their lives at risk every day to build and maintain our transportation system.

Unfortunately, incidents like this are all too common. The death of these two men should serve as a reminder to all motorists of the importance of using the utmost caution when workers are present along the roadway.