A 54-year-old Rutland man was killed early Saturday morning in a two-vehicle crash involving a detached tractor-trailer on U.S. Route 7 in Pittsford, according to Vermont State Police.
Troopers from the Rutland Barracks responded to the crash at about 5:13 a.m. near the intersection with Giddings Lane. Police said a 2015 Kenworth tractor-trailer, operated by Paul Ricard, 64, of Castleton, was traveling northbound when the trailer became detached from the tractor and came to rest in the roadway, facing north.
Ricard stopped his vehicle and exited in an attempt to reconnect the trailer, police said.
A second vehicle, a 2016 GMC Acadia driven by Christopher Cyr, 54, of Rutland, was also traveling northbound when it struck the rear of the detached trailer. Cyr, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ricard, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered minor injuries and was transported to Rutland Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Road and weather conditions at the time were described as clear and dry, with cold temperatures.
Vermont State Police were assisted at the scene by Regional Ambulance Service, the Pittsford Fire Department, and Pittsford First Response. The crash remains under investigation, and potential civil violations are pending.