Fatal Trucking Accidents

Eight-Vehicle Accident Claims the Life of One Maryland Woman

August 25, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month, an eight-vehicle accident near New Haven, Connecticut, claimed two lives, including a 61-year-old woman from Maryland. According to one local Connecticut news source, the accident took place on Interstate 95 southbound, at around 5:30 in the morning.

Evidently, a semi-truck traveling in the southbound lanes of travel veered off the road near exit 70, crashed into the guard rail, and then slammed into an abutment. The contents of the truck spilled across the road, and the truck caught fire. The driver of the truck was pulled out by emergency crew members and immediately taken to the hospital, where he was admitted with serious injuries.

Seven other vehicles were also involved in the fatal accident, with a total of two people losing their lives. One 61-year-old woman from Maryland and another 38-year-old woman from Alabama both died as a result of the injuries they sustained in the accident. Two others were injured in the accident but suffered only minor injuries. Three people were not injured at all and were able to immediately go home.

Two Dead, One Injured in Late-Night Maryland Truck Accident

August 11, 2015 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month, two men were killed as a result of an head-on accident between a semi-truck and a passenger car. According to one local news source, the accident occurred at around 2:30 in the morning on Interstate 70, near Hancock, Maryland.

Evidently, the driver of the semi-truck was heading east in his proper lane of travel when the passenger car crossed over the center line, colliding with the truck. The force from the accident then sent the truck into a nearby abutment on the side of the road. By the time emergency responders arrived on the scene, the truck driver was pronounced dead. The passenger in the other vehicle, a 22-year-old male, also died in the accident.

The driver of the car, a 57-year-old woman from Fruitland, was taken to Shock Trauma and is in serious condition. She is the mother of the passenger who died in the accident.

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.

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.