William “Willbilly” Hathaway has died at the age of 36.
According to local outlets, the Wicked Tuna cast member died Saturday in Salisbury, MD after he was involved in a fatal car crash. WBOC16 reported Maryland State Police received a call from a concerned citizen who drove past a Toyota truck in a ditch on Old Ocean City Road. They then reportedly received several similar calls afterwards.
Per the news outlet, Hathaway had been driving when someone turned in front of him, forcing him to swerve into a ditch. The airbags reportedly did not activate at this time.
WBOC16 claimed Hathaway’s wife received a call from him shortly after the accident in which he allegedly told her he was OK.
Hathaway was found “slumped over the center console” and not breathing by the time emergency medical services and troopers arrived. The news outlet claimed he was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
A fundraising page has been established for Hathaway’s family members. At the time of this writing, it had accumulated $56,554 of its $250,000 goal.
“He was an exceptional human being whose passion was the sea,” the related Facebook page stated. “He always brightened the day of anyone he met. His wife and new born baby girl he was most proud of. Due to his untimely death we are asking for donations to help them stay on their feet while trying to survive this tragedy. Thank you in advance. The Ocean City Fishing Community.”
E! News has reached out to authorities.