CENTENNIAL, Wyo. — An 18-year-old student from Montana attending WyoTech in Laramie was killed near Centennial the evening of March 23 while attempting to help a truck that had broken down along the side of the road. While outside trying to give assistance, a truck of the very same model mistakenly struck the man and crushed him between the cars.
According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, 18-year-old Riggin Schaffer — who was in Laramie to attend WyoTech to learn automobile collision repair, painting and upholstery, according to his obituary — was driving along Wyoming Highway 130 at 10:36 p.m. March 23 when he saw the disabled truck in the road and stopped to help.
The truck, a Ford F-150, was reportedly blocking the westbound lane. That road, between Centennial and Laramie, only has one lane per direction. Schaffer got out and was talking to the truck’s driver at the driver’s-side door when another F-150, also heading west, hit the driver’s side and crushed Schaffer between the two trucks. The driver of the second truck — the one in motion — was cited as not knowing that the lane was blocked.
The crash report did not disclose which of the two other involved parties was injured, but one was reportedly injured while the other was not. Weather conditions were apparently clear and no other external contributing factors were said to have played a part in the crash.