Vigo County—This morning at 6:05, Indiana State Police and other emergency agencies responded to the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 near the 13 mile marker for a report of a person lying in the road.
Preliminary investigation revealed, 40-year-old Bilal M. Ali of Murphysboro, Illinois was parked on the emergency shoulder and standing next to his tractor-trailer unit checking a flat tire on the rear of his tractor, when he was struck by what investigators believe was another westbound tractor-trailer unit. Ali was found lying deceased in front of his tractor on the emergency shoulder.
The tractor-trailer unit that struck Ali failed to stop and apparently continued westbound on I-70. Evidence at the scene suggests the tractor was white and should have noticeable damage to the right front headlight and passenger side mirror areas.
Indiana State Police provided the information to Illinois authorities and requested assistance in locating the suspect vehicle. Vigo County Sheriff’s deputies and Terre Haute Police officers checked Terre Haute area truck stops and other locations a commercial vehicle might be, to no avail. Thus far, the other semi has not been located.
Bilal Ali was driving for Specialized Transportation Inc. of Smyrna, Tennessee.
The crash was investigated by ISP Master Trooper Matt Ames of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division. Assisting were ISP Sergeant Jared Nicoson, Vigo County Sheriff’s Deputies First Sergeant Clay White and Drew Stangle, Riley Fire/EMS, Terre Haute Fire Department, and the Vigo County Coroner’s Office.
Anyone with information in this case is urged to call Master Trooper Matt Ames at the Putnamville District at 765-653-4114. The investigation is ongoing.
