SHADY SPRING, WV – Two men were killed early Wednesday morning when a tractor trailer went off the road and down a steep embankment on Interstate 64 in Raleigh County.
According to the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened around 5:14 a.m. on April 23 near mile marker 136.3 on I-64 eastbound, near Shady Spring.
The tractor trailer smashed through a guardrail and plunged down the side of Sandstone Mountain.
Emergency personnel from the Beaver and Ghent Fire Departments, Jan-Care Ambulance, and Laxton’s Towing arrived on the scene.
Sergeant William Ramey of the sheriff’s office reported that both occupants of the truck were trapped in the cab and showed no signs of survival.
Firefighters used hydraulic tools to help recover the bodies.
The driver, Macdiel R. Labrada, 33, of Louisville, Kentucky, and his co-driver, Daikel C. Perdomo, 41, were both pronounced dead at the scene. The truck was carrying a load of watermelons at the time of the collision.
Investigators believe that excessive speed and a possible brake failure contributed to the accident.
The investigation is being led by Deputy William Sneddon, with assistance from Sergeant Justin Wills of the West Virginia Public Service Commission’s Motor Carrier Division.
Sheriff Frank Priddy and Chief Shelton reminded drivers to obey posted speed limits and drive cautiously, particularly on steep grades like Sandstone Mountain.
