His driver’s license was suspended in Louisiana and his right to drive in Virginia had been revoked. Nevertheless, a 55-year-old truck driver was on the road, although law enforcement officials say he was in no shape to be behind the wheel of a 1998 Freightliner tractor-trailer, hauling a load of lumber in Maine.
In March of last year, the trucker allegedly drove after consuming alcohol and drugs, rolled his big rig and triggered a four-vehicle chain-reaction wreck that killed two people. The Tennessee truck driver recently asked a court to suppress comments he made to police officers following the 18-wheeler accident.
The trucker has been indicted for manslaughter and aggravated operating under the influence, among other charges.
He claims that the statements he made to officers after the crashes in Washington, Maine, were given without being informed of his Miranda rights. He also claims that statements he made while in a hospital were involuntary.
State prosecutors have reportedly offered him a plea deal in which he would serve 20 years in prison. He has rejected the offer.
According to witnesses, the truck was over the posted 55 mph speed limit when it crossed the center line into oncoming traffic, rounded a curve and began to roll. It struck first a pick-up truck driven by a 74-year-old man.
He was the first of the trucker’s two fatality victims, prosecutors allege. A 45-year-old woman was also killed when her vehicle was knocked off of the highway and then burst into flames.
We do not know why the trucker’s Louisiana license was suspended, but we know that far too often trucking companies and shipping companies do far too little to ensure that truckers in their employ are safe and responsible drivers.
If you or a family member has been harmed in a truck accident, you can contact a Lake Charles truck accident attorney experienced in fighting for full compensation in personal injury and wrongful death litigation.