The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is continuing the investigation into the crash of a tractor-trailer and a box truck that left one man dead and closed a portion of Interstate 95 for more than eight hours.
State Police said the incident occurred at about 3:20 a.m., Thursday, as Abubaker Jamal, 35, of Columbus, Ohio, was driving a 2002 Freightliner tractor-trailer on I-95 northbound from the Maryland state line. According to a preliminary investigation, the big rig made an illegal U-turn at an emergency crossover so the truck could travel I-95 southbound.
As the tractor- trailer made the U-turn, investigators said it traveled into the path of a 2007 Freightliner box truck traveling southbound in the left lane and driven by Abodunrin Akinyanju, 30, of Greenbelt, Md. The box truck swerved to the right in an attempt to avoid the tractor-trailer, with the truck’s left front striking the right rear of the tractor-trailer.
After the impact, the box truck continued south with its left side striking the roadway, causing the cargo box area of the truck to separate from the frame and its cargo contents to be stewn on I-95.
The tractor-trailer came to a controlled stop on the right shoulder. The box truck finally came to a stop in an upright position in the right lane and shoulder of -I95 southbound. Box truck driver Akinyanju was trapped in the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Abubaker Jamal was was not injured.
I-95 southbound was closed for about eight hours while the crash was investigated and was cleared. Debris from the detached cargo box and its contents was strewn for 2. of a mile.
