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A civilian operator working for Mortenson was killed Sept. 14 after being hit by a pickup truck at Meta’s $10 billion data center under construction in Lebanon, Indiana. The project is part of the LEAP District, a 9,500-acre industrial campus that also includes a planned $9 billion Eli Lilly advanced manufacturing plant.
Lebanon police responded to the scene around 5:43 p.m., where they found Christopher Lawe, 33, of Ponca City, Okla., had been hit by a person operating a pickup truck that police say was carrying several people.
Medical personnel on scene were already helping Lawe when EMS personnel arrived and took over, but Lawe was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Mortenson, the general contractor working with Meta on the data center project, said work at the site has been temporarily halted.
“We are heartbroken to confirm that a project team member for the Lebanon data center project died today following an incident involving a passenger vehicle at the site,” Mortenson said in a statement. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family, loved ones, co-workers and all those affected by this tragic loss.”
According to the police report, the driver of the truck Mortenson said she and others had finished work for the day and got into the truck. The driver said she thought Lawe had gotten into the truck, but the sun made it difficult to see and she didn’t see anyone near the truck.
He said he was driving slowly over a dip in the terrain that went from gravel to dirt and thought he was going over rough terrain. He said he was making a U-turn when a backseat passenger said he saw someone lying on the ground where they had just driven.
Mortenson said he makes counseling and support resources available to his team.
A Meta spokesperson said in a statement that “we are working closely with our general contractor to determine what happened.”
A GoFundMe has been set up for Lawe, who was a married father of two.
