Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Semi-Truck Driver Arrested After Major Crash With Five Deaths
A semi-truck driver has been arrested following a serious crash involving multiple vehicles. The accident occurred on northbound Interstate 95 in Wilson County. The incident involved several big rigs as well as two SUVs. The accident resulted in five deaths and several injuries. The crash closed down the roadway for about nine hours while law enforcement reviewed the scene and cleared the wreckage. The NTSB is investigating the accident.
Crash Happened in a Section Undergoing Maintenance
The deadly crash occurred at about mile marker 114.5 on a stretch of I-95 that was undergoing maintenance. The road had a lane closure as a result of work, causing vehicles to slow down in order to merge. Traffic was slowing and merging to accommodate the lane closure when a semi-truck failed to slow down. The big rig hit several vehicles, causing a multiple-vehicle crash that involved a total of three tractor-trailers and two SUVs. The semi that caused the wreck was carrying orange juice. It burst into flames due to the impact.
Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “Are the laws or rules applying to a wrongful death claim different from a personal injury not involving death?”
Semi-Truck Driver Caused the Accident
According to police, the semi-truck carrying orange juice failed to slow down as traffic ahead was slowing due to road maintenance. The truck plowed into the rear of several vehicles, causing a huge impact. The truck crashed into the rear of a Chevy Tahoe and then hit a Toyota Rav 4, a Kenworth tractor-trailer, and an International tractor-trailer. The big rig finally came to a stop and burst into flames. The drivers and passengers in both SUVs all died as a result of the crash. The truck drivers were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Driver Charged with Death by Vehicle
The driver of the big rig that caused the crash was treated for injuries at the hospital. After treatment, the driver was taken into custody and charged with five counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle. Bond was set at $25,000. The driver, Charles Haskell from Las Vegas, was driving an orange juice truck for Double J Transport, LLC. According to reports, the transport company does not have any safety issues. However, Haskell does have two prior DUI charges. An immediate accident evaluation shows that speed was likely a factor in causing the crash. Intoxication was not thought to be a factor in this crash.
NTSB Investigating Crash
Local law enforcement conducted an initial investigation of the crash scene. They stated that the likely cause was speed. The National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, is conducting an investigation of the accident. They will do a deep dive into the deadly crash to determine the cause and factors that contributed to the accident. The accident was preventable and the NTSB will issue a report with their findings after a full investigation. The relatives of the crash victims are left to deal with the sudden unnecessary deaths of their loved ones.
If a loved one was injured or died as a result of an accident that was not their fault, you may be owed money. Contact our legal team at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704)370-2828 to request a free initial consultation.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.ntsb.gov/Pages/home.aspx
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