A 15-year-old boy was killed in an accident while helping his father change a tire during a family trip to Kentucky.
The incident took place on I-80 in Northwest Indiana. William Jason Lamont Bell Jr., 15, was hit by a wheel and tire rim that had become dislodged from a semi-truck.
Speaking to a news outlet on Thursday, August 24, Bell Jr.’s father, William Jason Lamont Bell Sr., said his son had always been eager to help. When the family’s vehicle experienced a flat tire, Bell Jr. stepped in to assist.
While they were attending to the tire, a semi-truck from PDQ Trucking LLC of Mendota, Illinois drove past. One of its rear wheels detached, struck the south barrier, and then hit Bell Jr.
Indiana State Police sent Master Trooper Lawrence McFarrin to the scene around 10:30 a.m. Bell Jr. was rushed to a Chicago hospital with severe injuries and was later placed on life support. The semi-truck driver underwent a toxicology test. Authorities later ruled out drugs and alcohol as factors in the accident. The truck was impounded for a thorough inspection.
Just a month before, Bell Jr. had celebrated his 15th birthday. A Facebook post by Bell Sr. in late July conveyed his pride for his “firstborn son,” whom he described as a “young man of God” with a notable character.
The family donated his heart through organ donation.
