Accused Drunken Driver Hits Construction Worker on Harlem Ave.

A driver knew he hit something before crashing into a signboard warning people of Harlem Avenue construction, according to police, but didn’t realize what he hit was a construction worker.

Thomas Czapka, 63, of the 7900 block of Cascade Court, Orland Park, was charged with drunken driving and various other traffic violations after hitting a construction worker on the 16600 block of Harlem Avenue, Tinley Park police said.

Shortly before 6 p.m. May 20, Czapka was driving north on Harlem Avenue in the left lane, police said. A witness told police Czapka was swerving and striking the median while heading north.

Though the left lane was closed for construction work on the median, police accuse Czapka of staying in the lane, running over several warning cones, hitting the worker and crashing into the signboard.

The construction worker, who suffered only bruises, told police he was sweeping on the curb wearing his reflector vest and hard hat when he got hit.

According to the police report, when Czapka was asked if he remembered hitting anything, he replied: “There was contact made, but I don’t know what with.”

When asked what happened next, Czapka said: “People came to talk to me,” according to police.

In addition to drunken driving, Czapka is also charged with improper lane usage, disobeying a traffic control device, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, failure to exercise due cause to a pedestrian and failure to yield to a construction worker in a work zone.