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James C. Hayworth, 58, of Chatsworth, GA was trapped in his trailer after accidentally driving his vehicle off I-81 onto the train tracks below, the Pennsylvania State Police explained in a release the following morning.
He initially survived the crash and fall, so emergency crews made "many attempts" to rescue him. Unfortunately, a coroner was called to the scene and he was pronounced dead, the Franklin Company explained in a release around 8 p.m.
His body was removed from the trailer's cab around 9:40 p.m., Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesperson Fritzi Schrefflertold Daily Voice.
The crash happened when Hayworth attempted to negotiate a right-hand curve while traveling in the left lane around 6 p.m., state police explained. That's when he left the roadway, drove onto the grassy median, traveled 450 feet, struck an embankment, became airborne, and fell down between the I-81 south and I-81 north bridges onto the CSX-owned train tracks, authorities explained.
The dramatic crash of the tractor-trailer hauling Arizona Ice Tea happened on Interstate 81 southbound at mile marker 14 by the exit to Wayne Avenue, according to the Franklin Fire Company and Schreffler.
I-81 closed between Exit 16: US 30 - Lincoln Way and Exit 10: PA 914 Marion. The roadway reopened around 11 p.m., according to Schreffler.
Train traffic was halted in the area and "CSX personnel were called to the scene to handle damage to their tracks," the fire company explained.
"Please keep your thoughts and prayers with the family of those involved as well as our first responder," the company concluded.
The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the deadly crash.
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