Kern County, CA — September 23, 2024, a woman was killed and two were injured following a semi-truck accident at around 3:40 p.m. on Highway 33.
California Highway Patrol officials say that the accident happened south of Maricopa near the intersection of Highway 33/Highway 166 and Soda Lake Road.
According to officials, a 70-year-old woman was with a 72-year-old in a Toyota Tundra said to be going northbound on Highway 33. From the southbound lane, it appears an 18-wheeler somehow crossed left of center, crashing into to the Tundra. Due to this, the woman was killed while the Tundra driver had to be airlifted from the scene. The truck driver reportedly had minor injuries.
Right now, the cause of the crash remains unclear, and no potential charges have been mentioned.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Generally speaking, a truck going left of center happens because the truck driver made a mistake. If that is what happened here, that would obviously call for consequences. But that’s rarely as simple as people may think. Simply put, commercial vehicle wrecks are often the result of not just a driver’s mistakes but also an employer’s mistakes. That’s not often something authorities tend to look into on their own.
A proper investigation into a commercial truck accident has many questions that need answers. For instance, was the driver pressured to meet an unreasonable deadline? Did the trucking company fail to properly maintain the vehicle? Was the driver inadequately trained? Did they have a history of reckless driving? Did the driver have any known medical conditions that could have caused the accident? Have their drivers been involved in accidents before?
By answering these questions, investigators help ensure that there will be appropriate consequences for a serious truck wreck. In my experience across hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases, that’s the priority. Families aren’t just looking for an easy explanation or some bad guy to point their finger at. They want to know wrongdoers who harmed them and their loved ones are being held accountable. So, are steps being taken here to see that happens?
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