St. Louis truck driver dies in crash with another truck on southeastern IL interstate

A St. Louis man died on Saturday in an early-morning crash involving two trucks on Interstate 70 in southeastern Illinois’ Clark County.

Claude Watson, 60, of St. Louis, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Clark County Coroner, according to an Illinois State Police District 12 news release.

The release stated that Watson was driving eastbound in a truck tractor semitrailer at about 3:15 a.m. As Watson tried to pass a truck tractor, the truck tractor crossed the center line and struck Watson’s truck, according to State Police’s preliminary investigative findings.

Both trucks left the road, crossed a ditch and went through a steel fence. State Police said Watson’s truck overturned, landed on the driver’s side and caught fire in a field.

The truck tractor driver, Duane Jones, 45, of Dayton, Ohio, reported no injuries. State Police cited Jones for improper lane usage in the fatal crash.

This story was originally published August 6, 2022 at 6:33 PM.