According to the Illinois State Police District 19, an Illinois truck driver was fatally wounded when a tire from a passing truck came loose, flew up and crashed into his truck, igniting it on fire. The driver lost control of the blazing truck and crashed into a tree.
The accident occurred in Gallatin County, on U.S. 45 on Tuesday morning.
William Hershel Rigsby, 61, was heading south in a 2014 Western Star when a tire from a northbound truck, driven by Thomas E. Woodworth, 42, came off the driver’s side rear tandem and struck Rigsby’s truck.
The impact caused Rigsby’s truck to catch on fire. Rigsby was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accident remains under investigation.
Woodworth was cited for driving with a canceled CDL, failure to obtain a new CDL, and operating with loose lug nuts.