Friend remembers WSSC worker killed by suspected drunk driver while on the job

FOX 5 EXCLUSIVE - FOX 5 spoke exclusively with the friend of a Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission employee who died while on the job early Sunday.

The utility company and Montgomery County police say 39-year-old Ernest Dyson was hit by a drunk driver.

The crash happened around 4:45 a.m. Sunday on New Hampshire Avenue near Hillendale Local Park while Dyson and his team were performing emergency repairs on a water main break. 

A black Volkswagen was driving southbound when the driver struck Dyson, killing him. Police say the driver stayed at the scene after the crash. At this time, though, no charges have been filed. 

Montgomery County Police say they’re continuing their investigation, and in cases like these, they will finish crash reconstruction and then hand the case over to the State’s Attorney’s Office for a charging decision.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: WSSC worker killed by suspected drunk driver at scene of water main break in Montgomery County

WSSC says Dyson was a supervisor who had been with the company for 18 years and that he was the embodiment of professionalism and public service. They called the tragedy senseless, and say it’s a reminder of the dangers these employees face as they perform critical repairs while many of us sleep.

FOX 5 spoke with Dyson’s friend, Vic. He does not work for WSSC, but for a company that helps with traffic control while crews are doing work.

"Being around him, you could tell that he was a family-type guy because he didn’t just order lunch for WSSC, he would order pizzas and stuff for all of us. And right now, just thinking about what a good person he was," Vic said. 

He says Dyson ran a tight ship but genuinely cared for the WSSC employees he supervised and the traffic control teams who assisted, oftentimes buying them food while out on a job when he didn’t have to.

Vic said his thoughts are with Dyson’s family.

"To his family, my heartfelt condolences. My heartfelt prayers," Vic said. "I pray that God will give you the strength during this difficult time. Because I don’t know how you’d handle something like that from loved ones where you just go out to work. I’ll see you in a little while, and then you just never come home. You just never come home."

FOX 5 reached out to WSSC Tuesday to see if all safety and security measures were being followed on Sunday morning when the crash happened.

In a statement, WSSC says safety is paramount and that "WSSC Water is fully cooperating with Maryland Occupational Safety and Health," noting that it’s standard protocol for MOSH to investigate work-related deaths.