UPDATE (April 14, 2023): Recent reports identified one of the victims killed in the crash as Conrad Rodgers. They also say that the truck driver authorities believe to be at fault may face two pending charges for first-degree manslaughter. Details concerning the alleged actions information those potential charges remain unclear at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
As I said below, it’s important to consider unusual possible reasons a crash like this can happen without someone doing something wrong. But I also said it’s pretty darn unlikely for this sort of crash to occur unless the driver slamming into the line of traffic does something wrong.
While it’s unclear if that’s true and what those actions may have been, authorities clearly believe they have enough evidence to succeed in pressing charges against the truck driver in the criminal courts. That’s pretty serious, considering the criminal system’s steep standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt.” So what exactly do they believe this truck driver did, and was that something that could have been predicted and therefore prevented? No doubt there are families out there who deserve to know the answer to that.
Garvin County, OK — April 12, 2023, two people were killed as the result of an 18-wheeler accident involving multiple vehicles along I-35.
Multiple emergency departments responded to the area outside of Davis near Murray County at mile marker 59 at around 12:15 p.m.
Initial details said that the accident happened as traffic built along the northbound lanes of the interstate. It appears an 18-wheeler did not slow down in time and crashed into the line of vehicles.
As a result of the collision, two people sustained fatal injuries. Others were said to be injured. At this time, the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
With a crash like this, it isn’t going to surprise anyone if evidence shows that the 18-wheeler driver who hit traffic was on their phone, speeding, fatigued, or otherwise doing something wrong. It’s far and away the most common reason a pile-up like this happens. But consider the fact that two people lost their lives here. Would their loved ones want to blame the first person they can find, or would they want to know they’re getting the full story?
Let me give an example of why I say this. I had this situation a while back where a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and caused a serious wreck. It seemed pretty open-and-shut, and of course there was the suggestion to throw the book at that driver and resolve things as soon as possible. But I’ve seen how unusual a complex 18-wheeler wreck can become, so I made sure there were more thorough investigations. That’s when a more concerning story came to light.
As it turned out, that truck driver had been behind the wheel for over 20 hours straight. This was a regular occurrence with the driver’s co-workers, as well, because their employer routinely forced them to meet ludicrous deadlines. They didn’t care about driving safely, keeping up with maintenance, properly loading cargo, enforcing hours of service rules, or even how well-trained their drivers were. All they cared about was doing the most work in the least amount of time.
So why does that matter in a situation like this deadly pile-up? Well, in the example above, it was pretty damn clear the truck driver involved messed up. But their mistake was merely a symptom of a much larger problem. Their mistake obviously needed to be addressed, but if steps weren’t taken to call out their employer and see they were held accountable for their reckless practices, it would be just a matter of time before their behavior hurt more people.
So when I see a deadly wreck like this, I always wonder if authorities are being thorough enough to make sure nothing important slips through the cracks. This could all be just some reckless individual, it could be the result of a series of reckless decisions, or it could all be some one-in-a-million, unavoidable tragedy. Whatever happened, the victims’ loved ones deserve to know they’re getting the full story and that all appropriate parties will be held accountable. Are those steps being taken here?
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