10 Recent Examples of Fatal Semi-Truck Crashes in Our Area While Coronavirus Stay at Home Orders in Effect
Federal safety regulation of commercial trucking in Illinois, Indiana, and the rest of the nation changed with the Coronavirus Epidemic. Essential truck drivers are released from the standard safety regulations imposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Hours-of-Service (HOS) Rules. Last week, another major change to HOS Rules was announced. Beginning September 2020, truck drivers will have to meet much less stringent HOS regulations. For details, read our prior post “Coronavirus and Truck Drivers: Danger of Fatal Truck Crash with Changes to Hours of Service (HOS) Rules.”
With the number of fatal truck crashes rising each year, many question the easing of safety regulations designed to help keep truck drivers safer on the roads. The HOS Rules are designed to help truckers get sufficient rest to avoid deadly mistakes behind the wheel due to fatigue or exhaustion.
Particularly now, during the current quarantines imposed by Executive Orders issued by the governors of Indiana and Illinois, how dangerous is it to drive a big rig, semi-truck, tractor-trailer or 18-wheeler in our part of the country? Shouldn’t our roads be safer, since less people are driving?
A cursory review of news reports of deadly commercial truck crashes here in the “Crossroads of America” provides the answer.
Here are ten (10) examples of fatal commercial truck accidents in our area where people perished in the semi-truck crash just in the past month. It is not a comprehensive list. These are not the only fatal truck crashes that occurred. Moreover, this list does not include the serious but non-fatal truck accidents that happened in the past thirty days.
This list serves as a warning. These ten tragedies spotlight the very real danger of a fatal semi-truck accident we all face on the roads of Indiana and Illinois today, Coronavirus quarantine notwithstanding.
Consider the following:
Five Fatal Semi-Truck Crashes in Indiana during the Past Month
Here are five fatal semi-truck accidents that happened in the State of Indiana in the past thirty days, with our condolences to everyone grieving their lost loved ones at this time:
1. April 24, 2020: Death Results as Disabled Car is Shoved by Semi-Truck into the Path of Another Semi on I-65
A semi-truck crash on Indiana’s I-65 happened only seven miles from the Indiana-Kentucky state line, when William Whitehead’s car was hit as it sat, disabled, on the interstate’s shoulder, by a Freightliner that reportedly crossed over the fog line a little after eleven o’clock in the evening. The impact of the Freightliner upon the passenger vehicle forced the car into the right-hand lane of traffic, where it was hit by another semi-truck. Mr. Whitehead died as a result of this collision.
For more, read “Henryville Man Dies in I-65 Crash,” written by WTHR Staff and published by WTHR-TV on April 26, 2020.
2. April 29, 2020: Hoosier Dies in Rollover Collision with Semi-Truck on US 31 in Daviess County
Shortly after eight o’clock on a Wednesday morning, a passenger car driven by Brenda Fields, 64, of Loogootee, Indiana, collided with a Freightliner semi-truck operated by truck driver Hector Fajardo, 45, of Indianapolis on US 31 near Odon. The impact of the crash resulted in the rollover of the car. The vehicle came to a halt, upside down, off the roadway. Indiana State Police report that the driver died at the scene according to the Daviess County Coroner.
For more, read “Loogootee resident dies in crash,” written by Local Sources and published by Dubois County Free Press on April 29, 2020.
3. May 2, 2020: Hoosier Dies in Collision with Semi-Truck on I-70 in Clay County
Early on a Saturday morning in Clay County, Indiana, the car driven by John Slack, 72, of Indianapolis was reportedly driving the wrong way in the eastbound lanes of I-70 when it collided with a semi-truck driving along the interstate. The driver of the car perished in the semi-truck crash.
For more, read “Indianapolis man dies in wrong-way crash on I-70 in Clay County,” written by Daniel Bradley and published by the Indy Channel on May 2, 2020.
4. May 14, 2020: Truck Driver Dies After Semi Crashes into Tree in Calumet Avenue Yard in Hammond, Indiana
An Illinois trucker, Willoughby Frisbie, 58, perished in a tragic accident on the morning of May 14, 2020, in Hammond, Indiana. The tragedy occurred when his semi-truck changed course from driving southbound on Calumet Avenue and began crossing the northbound lanes. First the semi-truck hit a light pole with a momentum sufficient to keep going until it crashed into a tree in the front yard of a residence. The force of the crash was so intense that the semi-truck cab’s roof collapsed and the driver’s side cratered from the impact of a fallen tree limb.
For more, read “Semi driver identified after fatally hitting tree in Hammond, coroner says,” written by Anna Ortiz and published by NWI Times on May 15, 2020.
5. May 14, 2020: Truck Driver Dies in Semi-Truck Crash on I-65
Around ten o’clock on a Thursday morning, commercial truck driver James Warren Oden, Jr., 49, of Indianapolis, was hauling a load of powdered concrete when his semi-truck collided with a passenger vehicle on I-65 near the U.S. 31 interchange in Taylorsville, Indiana. Sadly, Mr. Oden suffered extensive blunt force trauma in the crash and was pronounced dead on the scene by the Bartholomew County Coroner.
For details, read “Indianapolis Truck Driver Dies In I-65 Accident,” written by Staff Reports and published by The Republic on May 15, 2020.
Five Fatal Semi-Truck Crashes in Illinois During the Past Month
Here are five fatal semi-truck accidents that happened in the State of Illinois in the past thirty days, with our condolences to everyone grieving their lost loved ones at this time:
1. April 21, 2020: Two Fatalities in Collision between SUV and 2 Semi-Trucks on I-94
Two semi-trucks and an SUV were all traveling east on I-94 near Deerfield, Illinois, in the mid-morning of Tuesday, April 21, 2020, when it is reported the Jeep SUV sideswiped one of the semi-trucks with the SUV then spinning on the roadway and colliding with a second semi-truck. The driver and front seat passenger of the Jeep were pronounced dead at the scene by Illinois State Police.
For more, read “2 killed, 1 critically injured following crash involving 2 semi trucks, SUV near Deerfield,” written by Sam Borcia and published by the Lake and McHenry County Scanner on April 21, 2020.
2. May 6, 2020: Teen Perishes, Trucker Seriously Hurt in Collision with Semi-Truck on Illinois Route 4
A horrific semi-truck crash took the life of 18-year-old Colby Rheude when his truck slammed head-on into a semi-truck after crossing the center line of traffic on Illinois Route 4 near Finney Road shortly after two o’clock on the afternoon of May 6, 2020. Illinois State Police report it was not known at the time of the accident why the teen’s vehicle crossed into the semi-truck’s traffic lane.
The teen driver did not survive the crash. The semi-truck driver, Walter Smith, 51, was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.
For more, read “Virden teen killed in head-on crash with semi,” written by WICS/WRSP Staff and published on May 6, 2020.
3. May 11, 2020: Pedestrian Dies in Semi-Truck Crash on I-57
Before sunrise on a Monday morning, a 25-year-old man from Calumet Park, Illinois, died after being struck by a semi-truck driving north on I-57 near 103rd Street. According to news reports, the pedestrian was walking in the right lane of traffic at the time of the semi-truck crash.
For more, read “Pedestrian struck, killed by semi on northbound I-57,” written by Sarah Jindra and published by WGN-TV on May 11, 2020.
4. May 15, 2020: Driver of disabled car struck and killed by Semi-Truck on I-70 in Bond County, Illinois
When Larry J. Jones, 62, had apparent car trouble on the afternoon of May 15, 2020, he parked his vehicle on the median of I-70 where it got stuck in the mud. He left the car and according to news reports, tragically walked into the path of a Volvo five-axle semi-truck that was going west on I-70 at the time.
For more, read “Highland man killed walking on Interstate-70, Illinois State Police say,” written by and published by the Belleville News Democrat on May 15, 2020.
5. May 15, 2020: Driver of Honda Sedan Dies in Crash with 2014 Mac Truck on Illinois Route 111
Early on the morning of May 15, 2020, a Honda sedan collided with a 2014 Mac Trash Truck at the intersection of Illinois Route 111 with Schoolhouse Road in Pontoon Beach, Illinois. The driver of the passenger vehicle perished in the semi-truck crash.
For more, read “Illinois Route 111 at Schoolhouse Road Crash is Fatal, Pontoon Beach Police Chief Issues Condolences,” written by Dan Brannan and published by Riverbender on May 8, 2020.
Danger of Deadly Semi-Truck Crashes in Illinois or Indiana
Everyone driving the roadways of Illinois and Indiana shares their roads with the large truck traffic that has made our part of the country known as the “crossroads of America.” Unfortunately, this increases our risk of a serious or fatal semi-truck crash where the truck driver, the pedestrian, or the passengers of other motor vehicles die in the accident.
This risk of a fatal semi-truck accident is exacerbated by the reality of truck drivers driving fatigued or exhausted as the HOS regulations are being lessened during the Coronavirus Epidemic for “essential” loads and for all truck drivers as of September 2020 under the new FMCSA revisions.
Both Indiana and Illinois provide victims with avenues for justice under state laws of negligence, negligent supervision, product liability, workers’ compensations, and wrongful death. Sadly, semi-truck crash victims will be pursing claims under these legal avenues even more in the future, as both federal HOS and ELD Rules have less ability to prevent these crashes from happening. Let’s be careful out there!
