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Trucker gets three years in prison for crash that killed Illinois tollway worker

A truck driver, who worked more than 36 hours just before he was involved in a fiery, deadly crash on Interstate 88, was sentenced to three years in prison.
I-88 Tollway crash 1-27-14

A truck driver, who worked more than 36 hours just before he was involved in a fiery, deadly crash on Interstate 88, was sentenced to three years in prison.

Renato Velasquez had reportedly been working more than 36 hours when he drove a semi that crashed near Eola Road in Aurora, Illinois at about 9:45 p.m. Monday, January 27, 2014. A state trooper and tollway worker had stopped their vehicles to help a disabled tractor-trailer. The 14,000-pound roll of steel Velasquez was hauling came loose and hit the tollway vehicle, killing tollway maintenance worker Vince Petrella. The gas tank exploded on the trooper’s squad car, and Trooper Douglas Balder was critically injured.

Velasquez was found guilty of driving while fatigued, and of violating safety laws. He was sentenced to three years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release.

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