Investigators: Semi-truck involved in fatal crash swerved to miss tractor
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REXBURG — The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said the driver of a semi-truck that hit a farm tractor Wednesday on U.S. Highway 20 near Rexburg swerved to miss the tractor but clipped it with the truck’s trailer, which resulted in the death of the tractor operator.
Read the original story on the crash here.
Investigators said the driver of the tractor, Sam Davis, 64, of St. Anthony, was traveling south on the highway near the Rexburg north exit when the driver of the semi-truck, Victor Lopez, 56, of Idaho Falls, came up behind the tractor.
Lopez swerved right, going off the road in an attempt to avoid the collision, authorities said.
However, the trailer Lopez was pulling clipped the tractor, causing the tractor to tumble and break into two parts.
Davis was treated on scene and later airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Lopez was taken by private vehicle to Madison Memorial Hospital.
The sheriff’s office said it could be more than a month before its investigation is complete.
“In all fatalities, we take blood samples from everyone involved,” Capt. Cameron Stanford told EastIdahoNews.com on Thursday. “The results of those tests could take up to six weeks.”