Southern California Injury Lawyer Blog
Back in 2016, a fatal accident between a semi-truck and a charter bus claimed the lives of 13 people and injured 31 others. At the time of the accident, the reason why the two vehicles collided was unknown, but authorities could tell that the charter bus crashed into the rear of the semi-truck and that there was a large speed differential between the two vehicles. Due to the high death toll, an in-depth investigation was conducted, the results of which have recently been released.
According to a recent news report, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has announced that the driver of the semi-truck involved in the accident will face a number of criminal charges for his role in the fatal California bus accident. The charges will include 13 counts of vehicular homicide and additional counts of reckless driving.
The charges were announced after the investigation into the accident was recently concluded. Evidently, the semi-truck driver was driving westbound on Interstate 10 when California Highway Patrol conducted a routine closure of all lanes for construction-related reasons. The semi-truck driver put the vehicle in park and fell asleep. Once CHP reopened the lanes of traffic, the driver remained asleep as surrounding traffic resumed.
A few minutes later, the charter bus carrying passengers home from a trip to a casino approached from behind. It is not known why the bus driver did not take notice of the semi-truck sooner, but by the time the bus driver noticed, the semi-truck was stopped in the middle of the highway, it was too late to avoid the collision, and the two vehicles collided. The bus was traveling at an estimated 76 miles per hour. In all, 13 people were killed, and another 31 others were seriously injured in what was one of the deadliest traffic accidents of the year.
The investigation also uncovered the semi-truck’s checkered driving history. Indeed, authorities told reporters that the driver had a history of falsifying his rest-log entries to make it seem as though he was obtaining the required amount of sleep between trips. While authorities are not certain which entries were fraudulent, they do believe that the truck driver was sleep-deprived at the time of the fatal accident.
Have You Been Injured in a California Truck Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured in any kind of California truck accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Truck drivers as well as their employers have an obligation to ensure that a rig is safely operated while on the road. When a truck driver negligently causes an accident, both the driver and the company that employs him or her may be held liable. The dedicated California personal injury attorneys at Sharifi Firm have extensive experience representing Southern Californians in a wide range of personal injury matters, and they know what it takes to succeed on behalf of their clients. Call 866-422-7222 to schedule a free consultation today.
More Blog Posts:
Off-Duty Los Angeles Police Officer Arrested after Fatal DUI Accident, Southern California Injury Lawyer Blog, October 5, 2017
California Car Accident Plaintiff Misses Out on Opportunity to Cross-Examine Defense Medical Expert, Southern California Injury Lawyer Blog, October 19, 2017