State police this week provided some details concerning a two-truck accident that occurred on Interstate 84 early on the morning of Thursday, October 3, resulting in major travel delays for several hours on the highway and adjacent local roads during the morning rush.

State police said that William Keeler, 44, of 9 Quarry Ridge Road, Sandy Hook, was driving a 2006 Ford E-350 commercial van westward on I-84, west of Exit 9, at about 5:11 am, when the van struck a deer that was crossing the highway. The Ford’s fuel line then shut down and Keeler pulled safely onto the right road shoulder, state police said.

Keeler fixed the problem and was then about to start traveling again when a 2006 International tractor-trailer tuck driven by Joseph Malloy, 52, of Thompson Ridge, N.Y., struck the rear end of the Ford, state police said.

State police said Malloy told them that a deer crossed the road in front of him and he veered to avoid it, but lost control of the tractor-trailer truck and struck the van.

Hawleyville and Newtown Hook & Ladder volunteer fire crews responded to the accident in which Keeler was extricated from the Ford, which had been pushed up an embankment by the tractor-trailer.

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported Keeler to Danbury Hospital for a medical evaluation, state police said. Malloy was not injured.

Malloy received an infraction ticket for failure to stay in the established lane, state police said.

Besides westbound I-84 traffic backups that extended into Southbury, the incident caused extensive traffic tie-ups on local roads.