This article looks at the tragic death of 28-year-old truck driver Haneef McKnight on I-84 in West Hartford. His case is now at the center of a Connecticut State Police investigation.
We’ll dig into what authorities say happened on the highway. There’s also the question of who McKnight was beyond the headlines, and how his grieving family in Philadelphia is trying to make sense of the official account compared to the man they knew.
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Road Rage Turns Deadly on I-84 in West Hartford
Anyone who’s driven I-84—from West Hartford to Hartford, or New Haven to Waterbury—knows it can get tense, especially when traffic slows and tempers flare. On the evening of December 9, that tension turned deadly near Exit 44.
Connecticut State Police say McKnight, a truck driver out of Philadelphia, was heading eastbound on I-84 when a road rage incident broke out during a traffic jam. The confrontation involved McKnight’s tractor-trailer and a box truck, and what started as a heated moment quickly spiraled into tragedy right on the highway.
What State Police Say Happened
Investigators say McKnight got out of his truck while traffic was backed up. He ran across the highway toward the other vehicle.
He allegedly climbed onto the box truck that was part of the confrontation. During the struggle, the box truck moved forward, and McKnight was run over while still on or near the truck in the roadway.
Troopers arrived at the scene on I-84 East near Exit 44 in West Hartford and pronounced McKnight dead. The box truck driver stayed at the scene.
As of December 16, police hadn’t made any arrests. The case is still under investigation.
Family Questions: “That’s Not Who He Was”
The official story paints a picture of a heated roadside clash. McKnight’s family, though, sees things very differently.
Families from Stamford to Bridgeport who’ve lost loved ones to sudden tragedy know the shock and disbelief the McKnight family now faces. McKnight’s brother, Andre Lewis, says he was stunned when he read the police report.
He describes Haneef as mellow, calm, and not the type to look for trouble. Lewis says Haneef would rather walk away than get into a fight.
“We’re Still Trying to Understand”
The family can’t wrap their heads around the idea of Haneef running across a busy interstate and climbing onto another truck. At home, he was steady and focused, driven by his goals—not by anger or conflict.
Truckers who pass daily through places like New Britain and Danbury know the stress of life on the road. But McKnight’s loved ones keep saying that even under pressure, he’d try to calm things down, not make them worse.
They’re hoping the investigation—and maybe dashcam or cellphone video—will bring more answers about what really happened.
Beyond the Headline: A Young Man With Big Plans
McKnight grew up in Philadelphia and spent about three years working as a professional truck driver. The job took him all over the Northeast, including Connecticut, but that was just one side of his life.
His family says he was working on his future, studying for a real estate license while still driving full-time. He had a passion for music, too, performing as a singer and rapper under the name Cousin Sticky.
A Creative Spirit Who Loved Family and Animals
At home in Philadelphia, McKnight lived with his family—two brothers, a younger sister, and their mom. He was a supportive son and brother, pouring his energy into music, work, and dreams for the future.
Outside the studio and the truck, he loved animals and dreamed of traveling to Africa. The family had even talked about moving—maybe to North Carolina—for a quieter, safer life away from the violence in their city. Now, those plans are clouded by loss and unanswered questions.
Ongoing Investigation and Call for Witnesses
Like with so many complicated highway incidents in Connecticut—from the I-95 shoreline to the busy I-84 corridor—state police are relying on witnesses and technology to piece together what happened that December afternoon in West Hartford.
As of December 16, no charges had been filed in connection with McKnight’s death. The Connecticut State Police investigation is still active.
How to Share Information With Investigators
Authorities want to hear from anyone who drove on I-84 East near Exit 44 in West Hartford at the time of the incident. If you have dashcam or cellphone video, even if it seems unimportant, it could help clarify what happened.
They ask witnesses to reach out to Detective Timothy Nohelty of the Connecticut State Police. Details from drivers in Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury, New Britain, Danbury, Stamford, Bridgeport, or anywhere else in Connecticut might be crucial in piecing together how roadside tension escalated so quickly.
Here is the source article for this story: Truck driver run over in CT road rage altercation was trying to escape Philly violence, brother says
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