A two vehicle fatal crash on May 5th claimed the life of 31 year old Phillip G. Tuttle of Gillette, Wyoming. The crash happened on Interstate 90 at 9:42 p.m. approximately four miles west of Gillette.

70 year old Lawrence L. Duncan of Custer, South Dakota, was traveling westbound in a commercial tractor pulling a semi trailer. Duncan was driving at 20 mph, six feet right of the interstate's fog line in the emergency shoulder with the hazard lights blinking as the truck was having mechanical problems.

Mr. Tuttle was driving a pickup truck westbound on I 90 when for reasons unknown, he collided with the rear of the commercial vehicle's trailer on the shoulder. After the initial impact, the pickup immediately caught fire. Tuttle was fatally injured on scene. It is unknown if he was wearing his seat belt or not. Duncan was wearing his seat belt and was not hurt.

The crash did cause a temporary closure of the westbound side of I 90 from 9:59 p.m. until 12:35 a.m. Speed and controlled substance use are suspected as contributing factors in this crash. Mr. Tuttle's death is projected to be the 39th highway fatality in Wyoming for 2015 compared to 36 during this same time period in 2014.

 

 

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