New York Trooper Dies During Inspectors Championship

New York State Trooper William Keane, 56, died Friday from a heart attack after competing in the North American Inspectors Championship last week in Salt Lake City.

A navy veteran, Keane served 26 years with the New York State Police and was assigned to its Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit in 1995.

NAIC, sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, is held in conjunction with American Trucking Associations’ National Truck Driving Championships.

Keane was posthumously awarded NAIC’s 2013 John Youngblood Award of Excellence on Friday night. The award, voted on by the championship competitors, is given each year to the contestant who exemplifies such qualities as spirit of cooperation, leadership, professional image, dedication to profession, positive attitude, organizational ability and congeniality.

NTDC attendees collected more than $6,000 for Keane’s family during an awards reception Friday evening.

ATA, CVSA, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the New York State Police and Keane’s family extended their appreciation to contestants, friends and colleagues who collected the funds.

“Billy was just a really great guy,” said Derek Canard, an Arkansas roadside inspector who won the NAIC’s Grand Champion award.

“He was proud of what he did. I immediately knew when I met Billy that he was the type of person you’d want to role model yourself after,” Canard told Transport Topics.

Keane is survived by his wife, Sharon, seven children and five grandchildren.