Fatal Trucking Accidents

Virginia Semi-Truck Accident Claims One Man’s Life

July 14, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Carroll County, Virginia, one man was killed when he was involved in a semi-truck accident. According to one local news source, the accident took place around eight in the morning in the southbound lanes of Interstate 77, near mile marker 22.

Evidently, the semi-truck was towing two trailers and traveling in the northbound lanes when the driver lost control of the vehicle. As the driver attempted to regain control, the truck crossed over the median and entered into the northbound lanes. The large truck and two trailers then tipped over in the middle of the highway. A passing Chevrolet Aveo was unable to avoid the truck in the middle of the road and collided with the second of the truck’s trailers.

The driver of the semi-truck sustained fatal injuries in the accident and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. The driver of the Chevrolet Aveo sustained minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. She is expected to make a full recovery. Police have not determined what the cause of the fatal truck accident was, but an investigation is ongoing.

Construction Worker Killed in I-95 Beltsville Truck Accident

July 7, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week in Beltsville, Maryland, one man was killed when a semi-truck crashed through a construction site on Interstate 95. According to one local news report, the fatal truck accident took place at around 1:30 in the morning near the crossing with Md. 200.

Evidently, the right lane and the ramp of Interstate 95 northbound were both closed for an ongoing construction project. As the semi-truck was heading north, it failed to negotiate a turn in the road and crashed into a truck with lighted arrow signs on top of it placed to direct traffic away from the project. Both the warning truck as well as the semi-truck continued down the highway after the initial collision and struck another construction vehicle before running over the 65-year-old construction worker.

Preliminary reports indicate that the construction crew had placed all appropriate traffic-control and warning devices. The driver of the semi-truck was taken to the hospital as well, although with only minor injuries.

Student on His Way to School in Creskill Killed When Struck by Semi-Truck

June 25, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Cresskill, a middle-school student was struck and killed by a semi-truck as he was riding his bike to school. According to one local news source, the tragic accident took place in the morning hours on Grant Avenue.

Evidently, the driver of the semi-truck was making a left turn onto Grant Avenue when he struck the student, who was riding his bike at the time. The student was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency workers. The cause of death was listed as blunt-force trauma to the head.

A crossing guard who witnessed the accident told reporters that she first noticed the truck because she thought it couldn’t make the turn onto Grant Avenue. Then, she said she heard the truck’s driver screaming “Oh my God! Oh my God!” She then discovered that the young boy had been hit. The same crossing guard told reporters that “it was just a tragic accident” and that “nobody should be blamed.” However, she also told reporters that she had scolded the young boy earlier in the week for riding his bike too fast while on his way to school.

Tracy Morgan Settles with Wal-Mart Regarding Last Year’s Truck Accident

June 4, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In June of last year, a Wal-Mart truck allegedly failed to slow down for an approaching construction project, rear-ending the limousine that Tracy Morgan and his entourage were occupying. A fellow comedian, and one of Mr. Morgan’s good friends, James McNair, was killed in the accident. Tracy Morgan was seriously injured, suffering a broken leg, broken ribs, and a broken nose.

According to one news source, Wal-Mart and Mr. Morgan reached an agreed-upon settlement for the case earlier this month. The details of the settlement agreement have not been made public, likely as a condition of the agreement. However, Mr. Morgan told reporters that “Wal-Mart did right by me and my family, and for my associates and their families. I am grateful that the case was resolved amicably.”

The allegations in the case were serious. There was evidence that the truck was traveling at around 20 miles per hour over the speed limit at the time of the accident. Additionally, the driver of the truck was allegedly near his drive-time limit and had not slept for the past 24 hours.

Queen Anne Semi-Truck Accident Claims Three Lives

May 8, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Queen Anne, Maryland, a three-truck accident resulted in three fatalities when one of the trucks inexplicably crossed the center line. According to one local news report, the accident occurred on Maryland Route 404 in the morning hours.

Evidently, the semi-truck, which was being driven by a man from Tennessee, crossed over into oncoming traffic and side-swiped another semi-truck. After the initial collision, the truck continued on and then collided head-on with a third truck. The driver of the first truck was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The driver of the second truck, which was struck from the side, caught fire upon impact. Both the driver and the passenger inside died as a result of the injuries they sustained in the accident. The driver of the third semi-truck was not injured. Police are currently conducting an investigation into the accident.

Maryland Student Killed in Rear-End Truck Accident

April 8, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

At the end of last month, a 15-year-old 10th-grader was killed after her mother’s car was rear-ended by a truck on a Maryland road. According to a local news report, the teenager was a passenger in her mother’s Toyota Camry. Evidently, her mother was traveling north on Route 413 when she stopped to make a left turn. As she was making the left into a driveway, a 2006 Freightliner commercial vehicle rear-ended her. The truck was registered to a home delivery company. An initial investigation revealed that the truck did not stop when it should have and subsequently rear-ended the Toyota, which then went on to hit a Dodge traveling in the opposite direction.

The young girl was taken to a Salisbury, Maryland hospital and was tragically pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Her mother is still in critical condition. The driver of the Dodge was treated at a hospital but was released because her injuries were not life-threatening. The driver and passenger in the truck were also released and did not seem to suffer any serious injury as well.

A preliminary investigation did not find alcohol to be a contributing factor to the accident. The State’s Attorney’s office is still awaiting the rest of the findings from the investigation to determine whether they will be pressing charges.

Maryland Truck Driver Facing Criminal Charges for 2013 Fatal Accident

February 25, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A Maryland truck driver is scheduled to plead guilty to several charges stemming from the fatal 2013 accident that took three Fredericksburg residents’ lives. According to one local news report, the court had scheduled a four-day trial to determine whether the truck driver was criminally responsible for the deaths of the three individuals, but the man’s attorney notified the court that he will likely plead guilty instead.

Evidently, back in 2013, the truck driver rear-ended a Toyota Camry on State Route 3. The accident occurred as the Toyota was stopped at a red traffic signal. The accident involved 10 vehicles total, after the Camry and the truck spun out and collided with other nearby cars and trucks.

The Toyota had five passengers in it. The three in the back seat were killed immediately as a result of the high-impact collision, while the front seat passenger and the driver were both hospitalized. Thankfully, they both pulled through after being provided emergency medical care.

Woman Loses Control of Vehicle, Crashes into Dump Truck

February 4, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Jarretsville, Maryland, a woman was killed after she lost control of her vehicle and crashed into an oncoming dump truck. According to a news report by the Baltimore Sun, the accident occurred while the woman was traveling westbound on 439 and took place near the intersection of Route 23. At the time, the roads were wet and partially covered in snow.

Evidently, shortly after 11 in the morning, the woman’s Honda Civic crossed the center median after she briefly lost control of the vehicle. As she entered the lanes of oncoming traffic, she was struck by a large Mack dump truck head-on. By the time emergency responders arrived at the scene, the woman had died. The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police are still conducting an investigation into how the fatal truck accident occurred. A preliminary investigation indicates that poor road conditions due to the inclement weather were at least partially responsible.

Tractor-Trailer Accident Claims Four Lives Near Wye Mills

January 27, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month near Wye Mills, an accident between a 2006 Suzuki Forenza and a tractor-trailer resulted in four fatalities in the same family, including a pregnant woman. According to a report by one local news source, the accident occurred on Route 50 in Queen Anne’s County around 1:15 in the morning.

The wreckage was so bad that police do not know exactly what happened. However, it seems that the family was in the Suzuki heading westbound on Route 50. As they approached the intersection with Route 213, the semi-truck, which was traveling southbound on Route 213, struck the side of the family’s vehicle. Both vehicles traveled across the intersection before the semi-truck overturned on top of the Suzuki.

Tragically, all five of the occupants in the Suzuki died of injuries they sustained in the accident. Four of the passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. A 30-year-old pregnant woman was transported to Easton Memorial Hospital, where both the woman and her unborn child were pronounced dead by hospital staff.

Trucker Killed When He Crashes into Disabled Dump Truck

November 26, 2014 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this week in a fatal accident out of Prince William County, Virginia, a truck driver lost his life when he crashed into a disabled dump truck on Interstate 95. According to a report by a local CBS affiliate, the dump truck was stalled in the middle northbound lane of I-95 around mile marker 195.

Evidently, the dump truck driver notified authorities as soon as his vehicle became disabled. However, before authorities could get to the scene, the semi-truck driver crashed into the back of the dump truck. It was only a matter of minutes after the truck was disabled that it was hit.

After the accident, the driver of the dump truck was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. However, the driver of the semi-truck was killed in the accident and pronounced dead at the scene. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.