At least 100 Connecticut Department of Transportation employees showed up to Bridgeport Superior Court Monday for the arraignment of the Derby driver accused of hitting and killing their coworker on Friday morning.

They wore their bright safety vests, just as their fallen colleague, Elvin Hernandez, had done when he lost his life while doing his job on the side of I-95 in Fairfield.

Edward Myers, 60, was arrested on charges of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, driving under the influence, driving without an ignition interlock device, failure to maintain proper lane and possession of a controlled substance.

Myers appeared before Judge Auden Grogins, who raised his bond to $2 million, citing his criminal history and concerns Myers is a threat to public safety. The public defender's office was appointed to represent him.

The deadly crash happened on I-95 south near exit 20. State police said Hernandez was clearing debris when Myers, who was driving erratically, went into the grassy right shoulder and collided with Hernandez. Myers appeared impaired at the crash scene and showed, “poor coordination, low and slow speech, severe disorientation,” according to state police. They also said he admitted to using heroin and had cocaine in his pocket.

And it's not his first time driving impaired. Myers was convicted of driving under the influence this past April, an incident which Grogins said had similar circumstances to this arrest. In that case, he received a six-month suspended sentence and 18 months of probation with conditions, including that he use an ignition interlock device, which he wasn't.

"All we're asking is that, you know, everybody slow down and move over. Our members, this is where they work, this is their office. so please please everybody pay attention to what's going on on the highway," said Carl Chisem, president of the Connecticut Employees Union Independent, SEIU Local 500, after court.

It's the second time in just over two years that a DOT worker was killed by an alleged impaired driver while the employee was working on the side of a state highway.

So many DOT workers came out in support of Hernandez that more than half couldn't even fit in the courtroom.

"He was a great person. He always had a smile and always willing to help and work with his brothers and sisters, uplifting the garage and stuff like that," Chisem said.

During Myers' arraignment, Hernandez's family sat in the front row on one side of the courtroom. As Myers was led out, one of Hernandez's sisters told him, "That was my brother you killed," then burst into tears.

Myers also had relatives at the arraignment. A woman who identified herself as his aunt said what happened was an accident.

"He didn't mean to do that. Something was wrong when he was in that car. Something was bothering him. Something was bothering him. He wouldn't do that on purpose," she told reporters after.

Myers has additional convictions beyond this year. According to the bond commissioner, his criminal history goes back to 1987 and includes convictions on drug charges, weapons charges and an assault charge, where he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The public defender who represented Myers at his arraignment said he is a life-long Connecticut resident with extensive family in the area and that he previously served five years in the military.