Still no cause for I-88 crash

8/22/2012

By Jim Poole

State Police are continuing their investigation into the August 12 crash that claimed the life of a truck driver in Richmondville.
After withholding identities pending notification of families, troopers have also released the names of the truck driver and two women injured in the accident.
The truck driver was Jeffrey W. Mueller, 47, of Caribou, Maine.
State Police said last week that Mr. Mueller was westbound on I-88 in a tractor-trailer when the truck veered to the left, crossed the median and traveled westbound in the eastbound I-88 lane.
After striking guardrails, the truck jackknifed and fell between the east- and westbound lanes of I-88, landing on Route 7.
Crescent Ives, 36, and her daughter, Kilee Ives, 15, both of Worcester, were westbound on Route 7 when the truck landed right in front of them.
The Ives car touched the truck lightly, State Police reported, and then the truck burst into flames.
Ms. Ives and her daughter escaped but suffered burns.
They were taken to Westchester Medical Center, where they were still being treated. By Monday afternoon, there was no word of their condition.
Troopers said Mr. Mueller was identified through dental records. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force compression of the chest and severe burns.
The Collision Reconstruction Unit of the State Police is continuing the investigation.
"We still have no idea why it happened, what happened to the driver," said State Police Investigator Dave Ayers. "And no witnesses have come forward."
Anyone with information about the accident can call State Police investigators at 630-1700.