MARION COUNTY — The 30-year-old driver of a Pepsi delivery semi has been cited in connection with a fiery Friday morning crash on Interstate 57 that sent him and the 50-year-old driver of a garbage truck to the hospital for injuries.
David Shamley, of Marion, was reportedly passing a vehicle while driving his Pepsi truck in the left lane. Shamley was unaware of a garbage truck in the right lane and as he pulled back into the right lane after passing the vehicle he struck the rear of the garbage truck.
The impact caused the garbage truck, driven by Eric Greear, of Centralia, to skid to the right side ditch.
The cab and trailer of the Pepsi semi caught fire and was destroyed. Shamley was transported to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia, while Greear was transported to Salem Township Hospital.
Shamley was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. The accident occurred at 5:25 Friday morning and had southbound traffic between Salem and Dix at a standstill during the morning commute.