An assistant chief for the Boone County Fire Protection district was killed Wednesday morning as he was directing traffic away from an accident on I-70.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F says the crash occurred near mile marker 135 east of Columbia at 4:33 a.m. when an eastbound tractor-trailer rig crossed the median into the westbound lanes and overturned. A passenger vehicle was also involved.

Assistant Fire Chief Bryant Gladney, 58, responded to the scene and was parked behind the westbound accident attempting to get oncoming traffic diverted into a clear lane when the vehicle he was in was struck at "highway speed" by a westbound tractor-trailer, according to spokesperson Gale Blomenkamp. Gladney was transported to University Hospital in Columbia by an ambulance that was already on scene, where he was pronounced dead.

Assistant Fire Chief Bryant Gladney, 58, responded to the scene and was parked behind the westbound accident attempting to get oncoming traffic diverted into a clear lane when the vehicle he was in was struck at "highway speed" by a westbound tractor-trailer, according to a spokesperson Gale Blomenkamp. Gladney was transported to University Hospital in Columbia by an ambulance that was already on scene, where he was pronounced dead.