Details surrounding the fatal motorcycle crash in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa that claimed the life of one of Milwaukee Tool’s top executives are beginning to emerge.
Lewis “Jack” Jackie Bilotta Jr., Vice President of Accessories Operations at Milwaukee Tool’s Grenada and Greenwood plants, died late last Saturday night, Sept. 6, from injuries sustained after he was struck by a vehicle at a busy Henry County highway interchange, while operating his 2025 Harley-Davidson two days earlier.
News of Bilotta’s death was a shock to those in both Grenada and Leflore counties where the 67-year-old veteran in manufacturing proved to be a catalyst in helping shape the area’s industrial market. He and his wife, Sheryl, had traveled from Mississippi on their motorcycles to Iowa to visit family when a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero driven by 30-year-old Tanner J. Waterhouse of Brighton, Iowa struck Bilotta as he entered the highway.
A “Minimal Crash Report” obtained by The Star indicates that Waterhouse did not have a valid driver’s license. Iowa court reports obtained by the “Mt. Pleasant News” revealed that Waterhouse was a habitual offender, who was barred from driving by the state and that Troopers also smelled marijuana inside his vehicle and later discovered containers of marijuana and methamphetamine.
For more on this story, including comments from Milwaukee Tool officials and colleagues, see next week’s edition of The Star.
