When a big rig is involved in a car accident, the vehicle has the potential to incur a lot of damage due to its weight and size. A semi-truck was recently involved in a four-vehicle chain reaction crash in Illinois in which four people lost their lives. The driver was accused of being a negligent driver, and he now faces various criminal charges.
An initial investigation into the crash led the Illinois Highway Patrol officers on scene to suspect that the big rig driver was speeding as the vehicle headed north on Interstate 55. The investigators believe that when the semi-truck approached a construction zone, the driver made a sudden lane change. Then, a chain reaction crash occurred between the big rig, a van and two cars.
One of the cars was occupied by a 43-year-old woman and an 11-year-old girl — who were likely related — and both individuals lost their lives. The front passenger in the van as well as an occupant of the second car was also killed in the tragic accident. When the officers began investigating the big rig driver, they discovered that he allegedly falsely reported his driving records and also failed to maintain a record of his duty status. Both are felony offenses. He may also face charges of reckless homicide, depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Allegedly, the big rig driver had been driving for 12 hours, and in Illinois, commercial truck drivers are only legally permitted to drive for 11 hours. After the initial investigation, the man has been accused of being a negligent driver. The families of the four persons who lost their lives may opt to take legal action against the man — and his employer — apart from to the criminal charges that he faces. If these families are successful in litigating wrongful death lawsuits, they would likely receive monetary reimbursement for the financial losses sustained.
Source: myfoxchicago.com, “Driver held on $1 million bond in I-55 crash that killed 4”, , July 21, 2014