Racine---The driver who witnesses said was speeding just before he rear-ended a garbage truck, striking a worker, may also have been texting, according to the criminal complaint.
20 year-old Benjamin Bell of Racine was charged Thursday with homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and first degree recklessly endangering safety. Bond was set at $100,000.
Racine Public Works employee Mark Gates was pinned between Bell's car and the back of his truck. He'd been collecting recyclables on Washington Ave. near Indiana. Gates died a few hours later.
The complaint quotes a witness as saying that Bell's vehicle passed him on Washington Ave. near Lathrop at 60 miles per hour. Another witness told police that Bell had been changing from one lane to another in order to pass vehicles, and had been traveling at "10-15" over the 30 mph limit.
A passenger in Bell's vehicle told investigators that Bell had been going no more than 5 mph over the limit, but that he'd also been texting, and looked up just as the truck was right in front of them.
Police said the odor of marijuana was present when they approached the car.
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