Clark County, AR — October 3, 2024, Deputy Fred Phillips was injured following a wrong-way 18-wheeler accident at around 7:10 a.m. along Interstate 30.
Authorities said in preliminary statements that the accident took place in the area of Gurdon at I-30 mile marker 58.
According to officials, authorities received reports of an 18-wheeler going westbound along the eastbound lanes of the interstate. Clark County Sheriff’s Deputy Fred Phillips was out responding to the calls. In a series of events unclear, the 18-wheeler ended up crashing into Deputy Phillips’s vehicle. As a result, Deputy Phillips was injured.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
While details are not entirely confirmed right now, authorities say the truck driver is facing alcohol-related charges. If that proves to be true, folks may assume this situation is open-and-shut. But there could be more to this than just a single reckless individual. With commercial truck wrecks, there also has to be consideration into the possibility of a negligent employer.
In my experience handling hundreds of commercial vehicle accidents, it’s pretty rare for commercial drivers to just wake up one day and decide to get drunk or high before work. More likely than not, there is a pattern of behavior which responsible employers would be able to catch. That would allow them to solve the issue before that driver’s behavior gets people hurt or killed. Less scrupulous companies, though, either ignore these red flags or are too inept to notice them, and it inevitably leads to an accident. Could it be that happened here, or were there other extenuating circumstances authorities have yet to report?
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