Kankakee County, IL — December 24, 2024, Billy Shirley was killed and a teenager was injured due to a semi-truck accident at 7:00 a.m. on Illinois Route 17.
Preliminary details about the accident say that it occurred in the area of the State Route 17 and Bull Creek Road intersection, several miles south of Chicago near the Indiana state line.
Details at this time are limited. Current reports say that a Ray & Wally’s Towing truck, which sources say was driven by Billy Shirley, was going along IL-17 at the time. Another semi-truck was going the opposite direction. It appears one of the trucks somehow lost control, went left of center, and crashed with the other truck
Due to the collision, Billy Shirley was killed. Shirley’s 15-year-old son was in the tow truck, as well, and reportedly sustained critical injuries. No other injuries were confirmed. At this time, a cause for the accident remains unconfirmed.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
A commercial truck crossing the center line is obviously a serious sign that something went wrong. But just as important as “what” went wrong is “why” something went wrong. A lot of the time, people will just assume that a driver did something wrong. For one, there could be something unusual or unavoidable involved. But even in the more likely event a driver’s mistake led to the crash, there may have been extenuating circumstances a typical police report might overlook. That’s why it’s important investigators are able to answer key questions.
For example, was the driver in a hurry trying to meet unreasonable deadlines? Were they fatigued due to an employer demanding they work long hours? Was their truck in a state of disrepair due to their employer putting off vital maintenance work? Have experienced engineers looked at the truck for possible vehicle defects? Did accident reconstructionists rule out a sudden tire blowout? Has the driver or their employer been involved in serious accidents in the past? Did the accident involve a medical emergency, either due to foreseeable or unforeseeable medical issues? Did cargo shift due to it being improperly secured or overweight?
Simply put, I’ve handled hundreds of commercial vehicle accidents, and these are all factors I’ve seen contribute to numerous serious accidents. That’s why I have to wonder what kind of attention this deadly truck wreck is receiving from authorities. With all the chaos at the crash scene, were they able to preserve evidence? Were they able to ask important, in-depth questions that a cursory examination of the scene might overlook? Are they ensuring those affected by this crash are getting the full story? Or, would thorough independent accident reconstructionists show that this crash may be beyond the capabilities of the department in charge of this accident?
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