Saint Louis County, MN — August 14, 2024, Vincent Dow. Bonnie Dow, and two children were injured following a truck accident at around 3:00 p.m. on Highway 2.
According to initial details about the accident, it happened in the Arrowhead Township area near Highway 2 and Nelson Road.
Investigators said in preliminary statements that 65-year-old Vincent Dow, 66-year-old Bonnie Dow, and two 9-year-old children were in a Honda Pilot that was stopped for construction traffic. An International semi-truck approaching that traffic reportedly did not stop and crashed into the line of traffic. As a result, Vincent Dow, Bonnie Dow, and the two children with them were killed. At least three others involved were taken from the scene with injuries that appeared non-life-threatening.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Currently, the exact cause of the accident remains unconfirmed. That said, this type of crash is usually the result of a truck driver making a mistake. It could be there was something unavoidable, like a mechanical defect or a medical emergency. However, even in the likely event that the driver made a mistake, that doesn’t mean investigations will be straightforward. That’s because many accidents like this also involve mistakes from a driver’s employer, and that could require effort beyond a typical police investigation.
I’ve handled hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases, so I’ve seen how employers often create environments that make an accident all but inevitable. As such, investigations need to consider their actions surrounding and leading up to the crash. Was the driver pushed to meet unrealistic deadlines, leading them to cut corners or drive while fatigued? Was the driver inexperienced, possibly because the company rushed them into the job without proper training? Was the driver someone with a history of reckless behavior the company failed to properly vet? Did the company neglect maintenance on the truck, resulting in worn brakes or tires?
If investigations don’t consider these questions, they’re likely to miss something important. Seeing a reckless driver held accountable is obviously important. However, if their employer’s behavior contributed to the crash, that behavior will likely continue to put lives at risk unless they, too, face appropriate consequences. That’s why it’s important to be thorough when investigating truck accidents. Not only do the victims and families deserve to see all wrongdoers held accountable, there also needs to be steps to prevent those wrongdoers from harming anyone else.
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