Hays, KS – A 37-year-old WaKeeney man, identified as Julio Caesar Villarreal, was tragically killed Sunday after being struck by a semi-truck on Interstate 70 west of Hays.
The incident occurred in the westbound lanes of I-70 near the U.S. Highway 183 Alternate. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), Mr. Villarreal was one of three men on the north shoulder of the interstate loading a vehicle onto a trailer.
The KHP report states that Villarreal was attempting to secure the vehicle on the side closest to the highway when a passing semi-truck hit him, resulting in his immediate death. The Patrol indicated that the driver of the semi failed to maintain his lane, leading to the fatal collision.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) reported that the westbound lanes of I-70 were closed for a period of time following the crash as authorities investigated the scene and cleared the wreckage.
