The two men killed Sunday when their semitrailer exploded on impact with another semi that was illegally parked along eastbound Interstate 80 near Green River have been identified as a father-son driving duo from California.
Aleksey Fedun, 36, was driving their Volvo semitrailer before 5:30 a.m. Sunday when the truck drifted from the far left lane, through the right lane and collided with the parked semi, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
The Volvo exploded when it hit the parked truck, killing the driver and his 74-year-old father, identified Wednesday by the WHP as Volodymyr Fedun. Both were from Citrus Heights, California.
While the other truck was parked illegally on the side of the interstate near mile marker 94, “driver inattention and possible fatigue are being looked at as contributing factors” in the crash, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reports.
The driver of the parked semitrailer also has been identified as Rafique McNeill, 37, of Springfield, Missouri, according to court documents.
McNeill was issued a summons at the scene by the WHP for being illegally parked and has been ordered to appear for an arraignment March 25 in Sweetwater County Circuit Court.
WHP spokesman Aaron Brown told Cowboy State Daily after the crash that a summons is different from a citation and is meant to compel someone to physically be in court.
Why his 2020 gray Freightliner was parked and why McNeill outside the cab when the crash happened hasn’t been reported. Court documents show he was driving for Roadway Express LLC out of Springfield.
‘An Irreplaceable Loss’
The sudden deaths of the Feduns have devastated their loved ones in California, the family says in an emotional post to GoFundMe.
“Our family is experiencing an irreplaceable loss,” it says, adding they “dedicated their lives to hard work and caring for their loved ones.
“Volodymyr and Alex were driving together when their truck was involved in a terrible truck accident that took their lives far too soon,” the post continues. “A father and son tragically passed away in the same moment, with no chance of survival.”
Along with the message of sorrow for the family’s loss are several photos that show the two men together, along with images of the aftermath of the crash, which show what’s left of their cab and truck after the explosion.
Fatal Crashes Piling Up
Sunday’s fatal crash brings the number of deaths on Wyoming highways to 13 so far in 2026, which is more than double the six by the time in 2025 and two fatalities in 2024, the WHP reports.
Brown told Cowboy State Daily that the numbers are sobering, with Wyoming on pace to have more than double the number of highway fatalities it had last year.
He also said that with this winter’s unusual lack of snow so far, it’s also an example that road conditions are only one factor in how many crashes seen on Wyoming roadways.
Nine of those 13 fatalities happened in an 11-day span from Jan. 28 through Feb. 8 and include three double-fatal incidents.
117 MPH
A week before Sunday’s crash, two people died as a result of a crash near mile marker 6 on U.S. Highway 287 north of Lander on Feb. 1, according to the WHP.
A 2012 Toyota Rav4 tried to make a turn onto the highway but drove into the path of a Dodge Challenger that was traveling at an estimated 117 mph, the WHP reports.
“The Dodge steered left to avoid the Rav4, but struck the Toyota’s front end,” the report says. “The Dodge ran off the road to the left, rolled multiple times, struck a power pole, and continued to roll before coming to rest on its roof.”
Both people in the Dodge were not wearing seat belts and were ejected.
They were Christopher Posey, 30, of Fort Washakie, who died at the scene, the report says. The other was 35-year-old Jarrod Guina, also of Fort Washakie, who died later that evening of his injuries at SageWest Health Care in Lander.
The driver of the Rav4 was treated at SageWest and released, and was ticketed for turning unsafely.
“These factors — driver inattention and speed — are considered primary contributors to the crash,” the WHP report says.
Another Head-On
Days before that on Jan. 28, two people were killed in a head-on collision at mile marker 163 on U.S. Highway 20 about 2 miles west of Worland.
In that crash, a northbound Jeep Renegade drifted across the centerline and into the path of a Chevy Silverado pickup, according to a WHP report.
The pickup “spotted the oncoming vehicle and attempted to avoid the crash by steering right,” the agency reports. “Both vehicles collided head-on near the southbound fog line.
“The Renegade rolled into the southbound right of way onto its roof and caught fire.”
Both people in the Renegade died at the scene, identified as Jack Wittaker, 21, of Thermopolis, and William Jamieson, 21, of Kingman, Arizona.
Speed is being investigated as a contributing factor in the crash, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
