Driver Of Milk Truck Killed In I-435 Crash

Raytown Road was closed for several hours Monday morning after a fatal crash involving a milk truck.

Police said the driver of the truck was traveling southbound on Interstate 435 and lost control at about midnight. Officials said the truck driver made a hard turn to the right, went through the guardrail, plummeted off a highway bridge and down an embankment. It hit a pillar on Raytown Road and burst into flames.

"The guy didn't make it because he was so close to me. Basically when he hit the pillar the cab blew up and caught fire. I pulled over and ran down to the get the guy," witness Tony Bacon told KMBC. "It was like daylight out here, then just smoke."

The driver died at the scene. Police identified him as Charles A. Smith, 40, of Kansas City.

Bacon said that the driver may have been trying to avoid a car when he left the freeway.

"There was a car that stopped in front of the truck. The car went left and the truck went right -- he split the median," Bacon said.

Officials said they haven't confirmed the eyewitness account of a second car.

Police said the milk truck was making its morning deliveries at the time.

Smith worked for Belfonte, a Kansas City ice cream and dairy company. David Belfonte, the company's operations manager, said Smith "was an outstanding employee. It's sad to see him go like this."

Belfonte said the whole company is extremely saddened by the crash.

The wreck is under investigation.

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