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Dead trucker, accused co-worker had ‘personality conflict,’ police say

Robert L. Hardy, 43, of Miamisburg was beaten to death while driving a tractor-trailer on Interstate 90 West in New York.

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Rudy Arnette of West Carrollton is accused of beating fellow truck driver Robert L. Hardy Sr. of Miamisburg to death.

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Robert L. Hardy Sr. lost control of the tractor-trailer he was driving and crashed into trees on Interstate 90 West in Hamburg near Buffalo, New York on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010.

By Anthony Gottschlich, Staff Writer Updated 9:53 PM Thursday, January 28, 2010

Robert L. Hardy made friends easily, would help people down on their luck, even when he didn’t have much himself, and talk your ear off about football and NASCAR, his fiance said Thursday, Jan. 28.

But as hard as he tried, the Miamisburg resident could never get along with his truck-driving partner, Rudy A. Arnette of West Carrollton, who is accused of beating Hardy to death Tuesday evening, Jan. 26, as they drove along Interstate 90 West near Buffalo, N.Y.

“They had absolutely not a thing in common,” Cindy Flora, Hardy's fiancee, said Thursday evening.

New York State Police Capt. Michael P. Nigrelli said the two were hauling a load of auto parts from Vermont to Dayton when Arnette, 46, allegedly attacked Hardy with two weapons — one blunt, one sharp.

The attack caused Hardy to lose control of their tractor-trailer and crash into trees. Troopers responded to the crash site at 8:20 p.m.

Nigrelli said from the extent of the injuries, he believes Hardy, 43, died quickly, though not from the crash.

“He had sustained some pretty traumatic injuries,” Nigrelli said.

Arnette was taken to the Erie County Medical Center, where he was treated for minor injuries before being charged with second-degree murder. He was remanded Wednesday to the Erie County jail without bail.

Nigrelli said he was able to determine through interviews with the truck company, Falcon Transport in Youngstown, that “there was some type of personality conflict between these two gentlemen,” who started working together in December.

“It is senseless. It’s basically two people who couldn’t get along and this is how one guy decides to resolve the problem,” Nigrelli said.

Hardy had been driving a truck for three or four years, Flora said. She said her fiance and Arnette never fought physically prior to Tuesday, but had increasingly not gotten along. She said Hardy pleaded with Falcon in recent weeks to pair him with another driver.

Falcon officials could not be reached Thursday for comment. Neither could family members of Arnette.

Services are pending with Baker Hazel and Snyder Funeral Home in Harrison Twp.

Hardy, the youngest of five, is survived by two grown children, Jonathan Hardy and Angela Smith, according to Flora and a brother, Gary of Miamisburg.

“He finally had some kind of career going for him there,” the brother said. “You never think your job would kill ya.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7408 or agottschlich@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Read more about this story at BuffaloNews.com

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