Tow truck driver killed in I-255 crash near Dupo, Illinois
DUPO, Ill. – A tow truck driver assisting one person in need was fatally struck Wednesday morning near Dupo, Illinois, according to Illinois State Police.
The crash happened just after 10 a.m. Wednesday in the southbound lanes of Interstate 255, near milepost 6 in Monroe County.
Prior to the collision, the tow truck driver was helping someone whose vehicle was broken down on the right shoulder of the road. Investigators say the tow truck driver was in the process of removing the vehicle and loading it onto the truck.
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While assisting with the matter, a different driver struck the tow truck driver from the left side of the tow truck. The tow truck driver, identified as Wade Bivens of East Carondelet, died at the scene of the collision. Bivens was 57.
Authorities say the driver who reportedly struck the tow truck driver stayed at the scene amid the investigation. Investigators have not yet determined if charges will be filed.
Officials say there have been an alarming number of pedestrians struck and killed on both sides of the St. Louis metro recently, including some on duty for their jobs. Overnight, a pedestrian was also fatally struck in Jefferson County.
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“The agency has a safe streets and roads grant to do a comprehensive safety study and action plan for the entire St Louis region, including the five counties in Missouri and counties in Illinois,” said Anna M. Musial, Transportation Planning Coordinator for the East-West Gateway Council of Governments.
Officials say motor vehicle crashes and fatality rates have mostly been on a downward trend for the last several decades. A June 2023 report from the East-West Gateway Council of Governments shows more data about these trends.
Crews briefly rerouted traffic after Wednesday’s crash, which shut down traffic in the southbound lanes of I-255 for several hours. Illinois State Police are handling the investigation into the crash.
CORRECTION: Illinois State Police previously referred to the tow truck driver as a pedestrian before sharing an update in the investigation on Wednesday afternoon. The story has been corrected to clarify that the person struck was a tow truck driver on the job.
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