Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Driver's Body Found

A 68-year-old Hatfield man was found dead in the sleeper cab of his tractor-trailer rig Saturday, Aug. 29.

According to reports from the Prescott Police Department, representatives from Hatfield Trucking called the PPD reporting a red Freightliner as missing.

The truck and driver, Jack Sweeten, had left Hatfield Thursday to pick up a load of lumber from Potlatch Friday morning.

The dispatcher was concerned about the driver when he didn't return to Hatfield with the load.

Sgt. Tyrone Butler, with the PPD, contacted the Exit 44 Truck Stop about a red Freightliner and was told one was on the lot near the truck wash.

He was informed the truck had been there since before dark Thursday evening.

When Butler opened the cab, which was unlocked, he found Sweeten's body in the sleeper.

From there, investigation of the incident was turned over to the Nevada County Coroner's Office. The body has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for autopsy to see if it was a natural death.

Foul play is not suspected in the death.