Harrisburg Man Dies After Semi Hits Tractor
A semi truck failing to reduce speed caused the death of a Harrisburg, Illinois man Sunday after a crash on U.S.45, just north of Harrisburg.
According to Illinois State Police, Raymond G. Bowles, 60, Harrisburg was driving a farm tractor at a slow rate of speed in the right lane, near Muddy Road, when Kevin S. Voelker, 56, Omaha, driving a Volvo semi truck with a trailer crashed into the rear of the tractor.
Voelker told authorities he had dropped an E-cigarette device in the floor of his truck and was distracted while looking for it and failed to see the tractor in time to stop and avoid the accident.
Bowles was transported by Life Flight to a local hospital, where he later died from injuries received in the crash.
Illinois State Police were assisted at the scene by the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, Saline County Ambulance Service and Life Flight.
Voelker was cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash.
The crash caused a section of U.S. 45 to be closed for some time Sunday afternoon.
