A split second can change everything: A highway maintenance worker’s close call on I-90

By Tina Werner

An instant. That’s all it took for nighttime highway maintenance worker Josh Quilici’s life to flash before his eyes. Josh was treating Interstate 90 for snow and ice near Kittitas this past winter when he was hit by a semi-truck.

Josh, who helps keep major state routes open like Snoqualmie Pass during the harsh winter months, was driving a snowplow on the evening of January 17. His team works tirelessly around the clock to clear and treat highways, ensuring people and goods can travel safely through snowy conditions.

Around milepost 115, Josh’s routine shift took a terrifying turn. Another vehicle collided with his snowplow, flipping him upside down and sending him and his truck into a ditch.

 Josh’s upside down plow truck after being hit by another vehicle on I-90 in January.

“The next thing you know I was hit and rolling,” Josh recalls. “I was thrown into the air and rolled down an embankment. I hit my head against the steering wheel and had to figure out where I was and what happened.”

The driver responsible was later cited by the Washington State Patrol for driving under the influence and reckless endangerment

Despite the confusion and his injuries, Josh knew he needed to call for help and check on the other driver. Miraculously, a few good Samaritans stopped after witnessing the crash and helped him crawl out through a window. Crawling on the roof of his overturned snowplow to access the passenger side window, Josh was able to call 9-1-1. He also alerted our nearby dispatch center of what had just occurred so they could send backup.

Josh's snowplow was flipped upside down after being hit by a suspected drunk driver on I-90. Josh crawled out his narrow passenger window to safety and was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

Josh suffered neck and back pain, facial injuries and large bruises on his forehead and nose. He was transported to a nearby hospital in Ellensburg for evaluation. Thankfully, Josh made a full recovery. This crash easily could have ended in tragedy, though, and is a stark reminder of the dangers our crews face. These crashes are totally preventable.

“If those people had not stopped to help me, who knows how long it may have been before I was able to get help,” Josh said.

Josh has worked with our agency for three years. He credits the support of his Ellensburg crew and supervisors for helping him through recovery. He was on medical leave for a short period and recently returned to work. Our agency also offers employee resources like the peer support program which provides a compassionate listening ear to individuals who have been exposed to traumatic events.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Josh has been hit. Another incident occurred on I-82 also by a suspect impaired driver.

Earlier this week, Josh bravely shared his story at our annual Worker Memorial ceremony in Lacey in front of 200 guests, families of our fallen workers and partners in work zone safety.

Josh’s message to drivers is simple: Think about others when you are on the road. Employees in work zones are spouses, parents, children, siblings and friends – and they all deserve to go home safe at the end of their shift. They aren’t nameless or faceless, and they deserve our respect and extra attention.

Most work zone crashes are easily preventable: According to the Washington State Patrol, the top three reasons for work zone collisions in 2025 (in this order) following too closely, excessive speed and inattention/distracted driving.

Josh’s story isn’t an isolated incident. In 2025, there were 1,557 crashes in work zones, a slight decrease from 1,607 crashes in 2024. The largest increase was in fatality collisions, which rose by 29 percent from 2024 to 2025. The overall number was slight – seven in 2024 to nine in 2025 – but even one death or one increase is too many. Every April, our agency dedicates the entire month to spread awareness about the importance of work zone safety.

While we are thankful Josh and his family are doing well, we know this could have been worse. Josh, a husband and father, says his biggest fear is not coming home to his family at the end of his shift. Every driver has a role in keeping highway workers safe.

Please slow down in work zones, put down your phone and never drive impaired. Lives depend on it.