BECKLEY, W.Va. — An Ohio trucker is dead after a Monday morning crash on the West Virginia Turnpike.
“Actually the initial call was a tractor trailer on fire,” said Corporal Chad Morton of the West Virginia State Police. “Upon arrival I saw a flatbed which was overturned and on fire in the median.”
The accident happened as the truck traveled south on the Turnpike near the I-77/64 split. The truck lost its load of industrial metal parts, according to Morton, and spilled them across the median and into the northbound lanes.
“Traffic was pretty light, but an SUV traveling north saw the truck in the median, but didn’t’ see the parts and hit one of them in the road,” said Morton. “It caused disabling damage to his car and his air bag deployed.’
The driver of the SUV was taken to an area hospital. Morton said the driver of the semi was killed in the crash. The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of relatives. Morton said the victim was 65 years old from Hubbard, Ohio.
The truck was owned by Universal Truck Load of Gary, Indiana.