CONTRA COSTA — A California Department of Transportation employee was killed Thursday after being struck by an asphalt truck in a construction area on Highway 4 in Contra Costa County, officials said.
Mahdi Khorram, 39, was a transportation engineer and construction inspector for Caltrans, according to an announcement from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
Khorram was based in Concord, which is part of Caltrans District 4, and had been working on a Highway 4 construction project.
He is survived by his wife and a three-year-old child.
“Jennifer and I are deeply saddened to learn of the death today of Caltrans worker Mahdi Khorram,” Newsom said on behalf of himself and his wife in a statement. “Mahdi was a dedicated public servant committed to making our roads safer for all Californians. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues mourning this terrible tragedy.”
Khorram, who has worked for the state agency since 2023, was the 195th Caltrans employee to die on the job since 1921, officials said. The flags at the state Capitol and the Capitol Annex Swing Space will be flown at half-staff in Khorram’s honor.