BRACEVILLE, Ohio - The Ohio Highway Patrol says a driver may have been distracted when his truck struck an Ohio Department of Transportation employee in Braceville.

State Trooper Dan Morrison tells 21 News that a tow truck driver was glancing down at an electronic tablet when he hit the 18-year-old worker who was flagging traffic for an ODOT crew along State Route 534  before 10 a.m. Monday Morning.

The worker, identified as Stephen Vidman of McDonald, was flown to Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital with injuries that the patrol describes as serious.

The tow truck driver, 47-year-old James Mahmet of Lake Milton was not injured.

State route 534 was closed between route 82 and Shanks Phalanx road for a short time as troopers investigated the accident.

Stay connected with wfmj.com and 21 News for the latest on this developing story.