HARTLAND, Vt. — The driver of a tractor-trailer is dead after being hit by a car on Interstate 91 early Monday morning, a spokesperson with Vermont State Police has confirmed.
In a press release, police said 66-year-old Gary Starr, of Jay, pulled his tractor-trailer into the interstate’s breakdown lane near Hartland after it became “disabled.” Starr was walking in a southbound lane of the interstate when a car drove around a bend in the roadway and hit him at approximately 5:50 a.m., according to police.Starr was later pronounced dead by responding authorities; he was not transported to a hospital.
Police report the car’s driver, a 35-year-old man from Springfield, Vermont, said he was unable to avoid the crash. Starr had reportedly activated his vehicle’s four-way flashers and had several traffic triangles placed behind his vehicle.
Southbound lanes of I-91 were closed for more than five hours while emergency crews responded to and began investigating the crash.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has additional information is being asked to call Trooper Michael Marcinkowski at 802-234-9933.