As national headlines focus on the passing of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, a tragedy of worse proportion happened in Oklahoma today. According to Newsok.com, 9 people are now confirmed dead after a tractor-trailer slammed into a line carss stopped by an earlier accident involving a tractor-trailer. The accident happened on the Will Rogers Turnpike northeast of Miami
According to the Highway Patrol and newsok.com,
Investigators don’t believe the driver of the tractor-trailer tried to stop before the crash that left eight adults and one child dead, Brown said. The speed limit in the area is 75 mph. A criminal investigation was being conducted, as is routine after a fatal accident, and blood was drawn from the truck driver.
This is a tragic accident on a hot sunny day in Oklahoma. The pictures of dangled metal, fluids and crushed cars on the Oklahoma is astounding and I can simply say my prayers are with the deceased and injured. At a normal time, this might garner national headlines. However, with Michael Jackson’s passing, sadly that won’t be the case.
I hope at some point the issues associated with interstate truck driving come more to the public light. I have no idea of why this driver failed to even slow down, but in my experience in litigating these types of incidents, often times these truck drivers are pushed to drive fast and too many hours by various trucking companies. While this blog is reporting of this tragic accident, I will be discussing in the near future various issues relating to trucking companies and the secrets they don’t won’t the public to know.
UPDATE: The AP is reporting that there are two survivors of the above Oklahoma traffic wreck that killed nine people. A 12 year old young lady and 35 year old woman are listed in critical condition according to the article. As a father of three girls this is truly heart wrenching so please keep these two people in your prayers.
I also wanted to point out that the article says that the
police said they will give prosecutors the results of their investigation to decide whether to bring any charges after the chain-reaction crash on the turnpike that saw some victims pinned in the wreckage for up to nine hours.
Keep in mind that criminal charges don’t equate to civil charges. Irregardless of whether criminal charges are filed their is obviously gross negligence on the part of the truck driver. As an attorney who actively works in trucking litigaton, one can only wonder about the circumstantial facts regarding the age of the trucker and the liability the trucking company may have.
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19 Comments
Grayson
Hours later, I am still in shock over the vast number of intertwined vehicles; seemingly fused together as one, and strewn wreckage over what seemed like hundreds of yards of mayhem. We passed the tragic accident on the other side of the interstate as we were driving our daughter to from Joplin to the Tulsa Airport. Obviously she missed her flight but, after seeing the devestating news about the accident, Delta was kind enough to purchase her a ticket for her on United. I am heartbroken for the driver of the rig, whom I am sure wishes he had not survived. I am not a terribly religious person, but after seeing such a life altering tragic even that will affect so many families, I wanted to investigate the updated information so I can keep all these families in my thoughts and prayers. I am an RN in Springfield at St. Mercy Hospital, and my fiance is in transportation as a supervisor. I know they are currently revising the trucking laws "on paper", but in this economy, I believe the drivers are pressured "off the record" to press miles and speed to the max. This is one of those things you see throughout your lifetime that sticks with you indefinitely. I will hug my daughters tighter and do anything I can for the families involved in yesterday's tradgedy.
mikeeeee
jeremy.
your hunches are probably correct but, let's se how the facts unfold.
Truck Driver
That accident is very bad , but don't convict all drivers and trucking companies just yet . I've benn driving for a Joplin, Month. Company for 14 years and if you have secrets that I don't know about please let me know what they are .
Tracij29
I saw the accident from the other side of the highway just moments after impact. At the time I had no idea how many cars were under that truck. I even saw the truck driver coming out of his rig. I could barely sleep last night thinking about this and then today find out that 2 of the deceased are from the town I used to live in in Texas. One is only 7 years old. :(
Sandra
my family....my aunt & uncle and 12 year old cousin were in this accident....they were on their way to visit us in chicago...my 12 year cousin is currently in critical condition...my aunt and uncle sadly did not make it...my aunt was a saint....she would take her shirt off her back for anyone....all i ask is that if your 76 years please don't drive especially not a semi trailer....i can't help and be angry at the truck driver...my mom is heart broken over losing her sister and brother in law...as is the whole family...u can not understand the pain. please pray for my cousin and family..may god rest their souls...
loner
i work for the company and believe that it was a honest accident the company trys to obay all laws but driveing the road dose get to you my prayers and heart goes to the fammily of the victoms and i am a driver
Sandra
DEAR LONER,
DRIVING THE ROAD GETS TO U? R U SERIOUS AND U DON'T THINK LOSING 2 LOVED ONES NOT TO MENTION COUNTLESS OTHERS THAT WERE KILLED CAN GET TO SOMEONE? I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS AN HONEST ACCIDENT I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPANY IS LIABLE A 76 YR OLD MAN DRIVING A SEMI TRUCK THAT ENDED IN MULTIPLE DEATHS? KEEP TELLING UR SELF THAT SO THAT U CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT MEANWHILE MY FATHER IS IN THE ICU B/C OF OTHER HEALTH ISSUES AND NOW MY FAMILY AND I NOT ONLY HAVE TO COPE WITH MY FATHER BEING VERY ILL BUT WITH THE DEATHS OF 2 OF OUR LOVED ONES AND MY 12 YR OLD COUSIN WHO WILL MISS OUT ON HER PARENTS. NOW TELL ME IF THAT WOULDN'T GET TO U MORE THAN DRIVING. UR PRAYER AND HEART? I'M SORRY BUT THAT MEANS NOTHING....I LOST MY AUNT AND UNCLE WHOM I LOVED DEARLY...THEY WERE ON THERE WAY UP TO CHICAGO TO VISIT US...THEY NEVER MADE IT...I WAS SOO HAPPY THAT THEY WERE COMING TO VISIT...THEY CALLED US AT NOON TO TELL US THEY EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ABOUT 9 OR 10....WE WAITED BUT ALL WE GOT WAS A CALL FROM THE HOSPITAL TELLING US THAT THERE WAS A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND MY AUNT AND UNCLE DIDN'T MAKE IT THRU AND MY 12 YR OLD COUSIN WAS FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE...SLEEP ON THAT.
thinkmarley
Dear Sandra,
I am so sorry for your family; I have not been able to stop worrying for this little girl. I hope and pray to hear that she has pulled through this.I hope and pray for your family. A lot of Oklahomans are praying for her and your family. I had family members involved as well but they survived; one being my twelve year old daughter. I dont understand this tragic event but I hurt so much for your family and I pray so hard for all of you.
Sandra
thank you thinkmarley....please keep my family in your prayers...this is very hard. we've lost extremely special people in our lives and i don't know how long it will take my family to recover if ever.
VCDaedalus
I don't believe this man would have been driving if he'd had any other choice. He may have been supporting an elderly wife or even children with this income, and paying for needed medical expenses. Driving a truck may be all he knows how to do, and there aren't many employment opportunities available to anyone, let alone a 76-year-old. He wasn't driving for bingo money, that's for sure.
None of this will factor in any liability trial. What's more, if he had a medical condition that contributed to the this accident, it may have arisen after he was medically certified and hired.
An almost identical accident happened in St. Louis almost one year ago! In that case, the driver was younger but was reaching for a cell phone. That's only begun to be litigated.
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