The driver of a tractor trailer was killed early on Saturday, September 14th, 2013 when he crashed the tractor-trailer he was driving. Larry J. Johnson, 57, of Chicago, was driving a 2005 Volvo tractor-trailer laden with mangoes westbound on I-80, west of U.S. Route 62 at approximately 6.13 a.m when he entered the left side of the roadway.
His vehicle struck the edge of a bridge rail and flipped over the bridge, coming to rest on the railroad tracks below before bursting into flames. What caused Johnson to travel off the roadway is still unknown. Cars on I-80 were forced to slow to avoid debris from the accident, resulting in several collisions. The eastbound side of the road was closed for ninety minutes as the debris was cleared and the Department of Transportation examined the bridge in order to ensure it was safe for vehicle traffic.
