Maryland Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Semi-Truck Driver Charged in Fatal I-95 Truck Accident

July 28, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month near Richmond, Virginia, two men on motorcycles were killed when they were both struck by a semi-truck driver. According to one local Virginia news source, the semi-truck driver is facing charges based on the belief that he fell asleep while behind the wheel in the moments before the fatal accident.

According to one witness, the semi-truck drifted out of the southbound-middle lane and onto the side of the highway, where there were about six motorcyclists who had pulled off the road. Evidently, the motorcyclists were on their way to a motorcycle rally in Atlanta, Georgia.

Witnesses told reporters that once the semi-truck left the roadway, it collided with all six motorcycles. One man was standing next to his bike and was struck by the semi-truck. That man was pronounced dead by emergency workers at the scene of the accident. There were five others who were injured as well, most of them sitting on their bikes as the truck came crashing through. Thankfully, they are all expected to recover from their injuries.

Three Driver’s Ed Students Die in Devastating Truck Accident

July 21, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Orange County, New York, three teens were killed and another seriously injured in an accident that occurred while they were out on the road with a driving instructor for their driver’s education class. According to one local New York news source, the accident occurred when a tractor-trailer entered the intersection and T-boned the teens’ vehicle.

Evidently, the intersection gives red flashing signals to one direction and yellow flashing signals to the other. The teens stopped at the red signal and then proceeded through the intersection. The truck driver drove through the yellow flashing signal and was unable to stop in time, colliding with the teens’ vehicle.

A 16-year-old girl was driving the vehicle at the time, and the instructor was in the front passenger seat. There were three teenage males in the back seat. Two of the males in the back were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. The driver and third back-seat passenger were airlifted to a nearby hospital and admitted in critical condition. While the teenage driver was ultimately released, the third male teen succumbed to his injuries and passed away a few days after the accident. Both the driving instructor and the driver of the truck were also admitted to the hospital with serious injuries. However, they are both are expected to make full recoveries.

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.

Truck Overturns on Capital Beltway in Prince George’s County, Spilling Load of Potatoes on the Highway

June 18, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Prince George’s County, a semi-truck overturned and spilled its load of potatoes all over the Capital Beltway, causing major delays and injuring the driver. According to one local news source, the accident took place early on a Wednesday morning on the Capital Beltway, right before Pennsylvania Avenue in Forestville.

Evidently, the driver of the truck sustained a major injury to his arm and was flown to Shock Trauma in Baltimore. The accident also resulted in one lane of the Beltway being closed for most of the morning rush hour. Also inside the truck’s cab was a pit-bull belonging to the truck’s driver. She has yet to be found.

Police investigating the accident told reporters that it looks as though the driver of the truck may have fallen asleep prior to the accident. However, the investigation into the cause of the accident is still ongoing. Charges against the driver may later be filed, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Ambulance Driver Strikes Truck, Kills Passenger Aboard

June 11, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month in Wachapreague, Virginia, one man was killed as he was being transported to the hospital in an ambulance when the vehicle he was being transported in struck a bus. According to one local news source, the ambulance had its lights and sirens on when the accident occurred.

Evidently, the 38-year-old driver of the ambulance failed to obey a traffic signal and entered the intersection without checking if it was clear, striking a transit bus. After the collision, the ambulance lost control and rolled several times before coming to a rest.

The 60-year-old man being transported in the back of the ambulance died from the injuries he sustained in the accident. There were no passengers on the bus, and the bus driver was uninjured. The driver of the ambulance and two emergency responders who were also in the ambulance suffered minor injuries but are expected to make a full recovery.

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.

Truck Overturns on Maryland Bay Bridge, Injuring One

May 29, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, a tractor-trailer overturned, injuring one man and blocking traffic for several hours. According to one local news source, the accident occurred on the westward span of the bridge and blocked traffic for about six hours as emergency workers cleaned up the wreckage.

Evidently, the accident occurred around 2:45 in the afternoon, when after tipping over the truck became wedged between the railings of the bridge, completely blocking all lanes of traffic. Those on the bridge at the time of the accident were escorted by police all the way to the front of the bridge and then allowed to proceed over the eastern section of the bridge.

After the truck toppled over, emergency crews needed to upright the truck to get it off the bridge. However, once they started to do so, fuel started leaking from the truck’s tanks. Thankfully, any fuel that spilled was able to be controlled by the roadside crews, and no fuel spilled into the Bay.

Accident Resulting in Gravel Spill on Intercounty Connector Claims One Life

May 22, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month, an accident on Route 200, more commonly known as the Intercounty Connector, claimed the life of one man and injured another. According to one local news report, the accident occurred around two in the afternoon, between the Layhill Road and New Hampshire Avenue exits.

Evidently, a dump truck from Montgomery County was carrying a load of gravel when it inexplicably skidded across the eastbound lanes and then toppled over in the median. Thousands of pounds of gravel spilled from the truck as it fell. Shortly thereafter, a Nissan car that was approaching the overturned truck was unable to avoid a collision.

The driver of the dump truck was tragically pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The driver of the Nissan was taken to Medstar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney, not far from the site of the accident. He was admitted with non-life threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.