FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A white rose lay on a Capitol dais Tuesday in remembrance of a state lawmaker killed in an interstate crash.

State Rep. Larry Belcher died Monday night when his pickup truck crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer on Interstate 65 about 20 miles north of Bowling Green.

Colleagues on the Interim Joint Transportation Committee had the single rose placed beside Belcher’s name plate at the start of a meeting that the legislator had been scheduled to attend on Tuesday.

Arch L. Heady & Son Funeral Home in Shepherdsville is handling funeral arrangements, which are pending. Susan Klimchak, spokeswoman for House Floor Leader Rocky Adkins, said those arrangements are expected to be finalized by Wednesday.

Kentucky State Police Trooper Todd Holder said there was no sign of braking at the scene and that police requested an autopsy to try to determine whether a health condition could have contributed to the wreck.

Belcher, 61, a retired educator, was a Democrat from Shepherdsville who was seeking re-election in a race against Republican Trina Summers.

Kentucky Democratic Party spokesman Thom Karmik said local officials intend to field a replacement candidate in the race by next Tuesday. Secretary of State spokesman Les Fugate said that will allow time for printing new ballots and reprograming voting machines.

Belcher served in the state House from 1999 to 2002 when he ran unsuccessfully for a Senate seat. He was re-elected to the House two years ago.

Belcher was vice chairman of the House Education Committee and the Seniors, Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee and a member of the Transportation Committee.

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