Inset: Timothy William Arthur Hall (Cass County Sheriff's Office). Background: The area in Minnesota where Hall allegedly killed a man with his truck (Google Maps).
A 33-year-old truck driver from Pennsylvania is accused of killing a motorcycle rider during a road rage incident, allegedly using his semitrailer to block the victim from passing via the shoulder of a Minnesota highway and ultimately forcing the rider into a cable barrier before running him over and fleeing the scene.
Timothy William Arthur Hall was taken into custody and charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide, one alleging gross negligence and the other alleging that he left the scene of a fatal collision, as well as two counts of second-degree murder in the slaying of 30-year-old Roy John Berger, records show.
The crash happened shortly before 4 p.m. Aug. 20 on southbound Highway 371 near Highway 200 in Cass County, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported, citing a criminal complaint.
Highway patrol troopers responded to the scene and found a badly damaged motorcycle and its rider suffering fatal injuries, according to the Star Tribune.
Witnesses told investigators that Hall's semi swerved toward the shoulder as Berger tried to pass.
"Multiple witnesses described the semi as intentionally swerving onto the shoulder of the road in an attempt to block the motorcycle from passing it," the criminal complaint states. "They described the maneuver as intentional."
The truck then made another move toward the shoulder, pushing Berger into the cable barrier.
"The semi made a quick maneuver toward the shoulder and pushed the motorcycle into the cable barrier, causing the crash," the complaint states. "Then the semi had run over the motorcycle driver and fled from the scene."
After running over the victim, Hall allegedly kept driving.
Investigators quickly tracked down the semi and conducted a traffic stop, St. Paul, Minnesota, ABC affiliate KSTP reported. Hall allegedly told authorities he had not been involved in a crash. However, damage to his truck consistent with the collision — along with what appeared to be human remains on one of its mud flaps — undercut his claim, local Fox affiliate KMSP reported.
Dashcam footage from the semi, provided to authorities by the trucking company, further bolstered the case against Hall — capturing the entirety of the fatal encounter.
"It showed the semi make a quick maneuver to the left to prevent the motorcycle from passing," the complaint states. "The motorcycle then tried to pass on the right shoulder, and the semi made a quick maneuver toward the cable barrier, causing the crash."
The semi is reportedly seen speeding across the solid white line toward the shoulder, despite no debris or other obstacle in the road requiring such a maneuver.
Berger was wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators did not suspect alcohol was a factor for either driver, Valley News Live reported.
Hall was processed at the Itasca County Jail, where he is being held without bond. His next court appearance had not been scheduled as of publication.