Donald Ruf Killed In Boone County Semi-Truck Accident on U.S. 20

Truck Accident - July 2, 2025

Donald Ruf, of Belvidere, Died In Boone County Pedestrian Collision With Semi-Truck Along U.S. 20 East of Shattuck Road

BOONE COUNTY, ILLINOIS (Jul 2, 2025) – A 63-year-old man identified as Donald Ruf has tragically died in a Boone County semi-truck accident on U.S. 20.

Boone County officials are saying the accident took place on Saturday. Donald Ruf was struck by a Freightliner truck heading east.

The force of the impact knocked the victim to the ground, leaving them with major blunt force trauma. Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victim.

Despite life-saving measures, Donald Ruf died as a result of the injuries sustained in the crash. A full investigation into the collision remains ongoing at this time.

Liability for Boone County Semi-Truck Accidents

Pedestrians are uniquely vulnerable to the hazards posed by motor vehicles. According to the IIHS, “A total of 4,354 people died in large truck crashes in 2023. Sixteen percent of these deaths were truck occupants, 65% were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 17% were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 38% higher in 2023 than in 2009, when it was the lowest it has been since the collection of fatal crash data began in 1975.” There are several reasons that commercial trucks can be particularly dangerous.

• Blind Spots: Trucks have large blind spots that can easily obscure the presence of smaller vehicles and pedestrians.
• Braking Capacity: Trucks often weigh 20 to 30 times more than smaller vehicles. They can take 20 to 40% longer to come to a stop at freeway speeds.
• Turning Radius: Trucks have a much wider turning radius than other vehicles. They are therefore more likely to be involved in side-impact collisions.

All drivers have a legal duty to operate with care to avoid collisions with other road users. Truck drivers and other commercial operators are held to an even higher standard. They must operate with an abundance of caution to avoid harm. Pursuant to Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, drivers must slow down to avoid any pedestrian in the roadway. This is true even when pedestrians are outside of a marked crosswalk. Drivers should be particularly cautious when approaching any child or obviously confused or incapacitated person. If a truck driver fails to slow down to avoid colliding with a pedestrian, this may be construed as a breach of their duty of care to avoid harm.

Liability for a truck accident could extend to the company that owned or operated a truck within the state of Illinois based on the legal doctrine of respondeat superior. A truck company may have contributed to a fatal pedestrian accident in several ways. Among other things, they may have negligently hired, trained, or retained a driver with a poor safety record. They may have also created routes based on unsafe schedules that violated hours-of-service requirements. It is critical that evidence is properly preserved after any pedestrian accident with a truck.

• Logbook: The logbook for the truck driver involved should be reviewed for potential violations.
• Event Data Recorder: Most commercial trucks have an event data recorder (EDR). They function similar to the black box on airplanes. This EDR has critical evidence about what the truck driver was doing prior to the collision.
• Photographs: All photographs of the accident site should be preserved. These photos can provide key details that can be used to determine liability, including whether or not a truck driver attempted to brake.

Pedestrian accidents involving trucks are often highly preventable. These accidents tend to be the result of truck drivers that are not keeping an adequate lookout of the road ahead of them. Fatigue is another major factor. Nearly one in ten truck drivers involved in a fatal collision reported feeling under pressure from their carrier. The family of any person who died due to the negligent actions of a truck driver may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil action.

Investigating Boone County Truck Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Donald Ruf. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the sheriff’s department. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. Many questions remain unanswered. What was the speed of the truck driver involved in the crash? When was the last time this truck was serviced? Does the truck driver involved have a clean safety record?

Do you need more information about a Boone County truck accident? Our team of pedestrian safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You are always welcome to contact us anytime at (312) 564-4256.