Five dead after semi crash with SUV; family says trucker had heart attack

After five people perished in a two-vehicle crash in Missouri on Monday, family members say that the truck driver involved suffered from a heart attack.

The crash occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Monday, August 2, near Garden City, Missouri.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), a semi truck driven by 59 year old Everett Ashley drove off an embankment at while southbound on Missouri 7 Highway at State Route F, striking an SUV.

The crash sent both the semi and the SUV into the median and guardrail.

Four people in the SUV passed away from injuries sustained in the crash. They have been identified as 71 year old Jean Pariseau, 68 year old Gerald Dittman, 61 year old Stephen Bennett, and 29 year old Dakota Engel. Pariseau and Dittman died at the scene, while Bennett and Engel died while being treated in the hospital.

Ashley also passed away at the sense.

Family members told local outlet Fox4KC that preliminary results show that Ashley suffered a heart attack prior to the deadly crash.

Daughter Erika Ashley told the outlet, “My dad was a professional driver for 35 years. He’s the safest driver I know. So like for you to tell me he died in a fatal wreck, that’s not believable.”

The crash remains under investigation by law enforcement.