Patrol investigates death of truck driver; sheriff's department calls it an accident

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the death of a truck driver who was struck by another truck Wednesday at a Procter & Gamble paper products plant truck lot in Cape Girardeau County.

Sgt. Clark Parrott said the victim was struck by a truck that backed into him on the lot.

The victim was identified as Israel Herrera, 50. Parrott said he did not have Herrera's address, but his family was from New Mexico.

The identify of the other truck driver has not been released because the incident is still under investigation, Parrott said Thursday.

"It is not considered a traffic crash," he said.

But the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department said in a Facebook post that "it was determined that the death was the result of an accident."

According to the Facebook post, deputies responded to the scene around 9:50 a.m. Wednesday. The investigation subsequently was turned over to the highway patrol, the sheriff's department said.

The incident occurred at a "drop lot" at Route V and Highway 177 where tractor trailers are parked, Parrott said.