Articles Tagged with 18-wheeler accident

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December 17, 2021 – A Colorado truck driver was sentenced to 110 years in prison for a crash that occurred on I-10 in April of 2019 which left 4 people dead. 26-year-old Texas native Rogel Aguilera Mederos pleaded for leniency and the Colorado judge refused, claiming the law prevent such an action. However, as of today, more than three million have signed a petition asking for clemency or commutation for time served from Colorado Governor Jared Polis.  

In April 2019, Rogel was driving down I-10 at 85mph during rush hour when his brakes failed, and he collided with dozens of stopped vehicles. The collision sparked a massive fire that shut I-10 down for roughly 24 hours, killing 4 people trapped by the flames. Among the victims was a 24-year-old named Miguel Angel. Rogel had previously failed to utilize one of the state’s runway truck ramps, which the prosecution focused heavily on during his trial. When asked why, he said that he was unaware that his brakes were out, and that he made efforts to prevent the accident. 

Auto Accidents happen every day, but when an 18-wheeler is involved the injuries and damage that occurs can be so much greater. It is important to be aware of your rights if you or someone you love is affected by an auto accident involving an 18-wheeler.  

https://www.carabinshaw.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Screen-Shot-2021-09-14-at-2.42.25-PM-1024x528.pngSept. 16, 2021:  HUFFMAN, Texas (KTRK) — The driver of an 18-wheeler died Wednesday, Sept. 8 in the morning when a Kanas City Southern train crashed into the big rig at a busy northeast Harris County railroad crossing. The crash happened just after 7 a.m. at FM 2100 and FM 1960.  Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirmed that the driver of the semi-truck was killed in the incident.

Video from the crash showed the train stopped on the tracks.  Harris County sheriff’s deputies said the cab of the semi-truck was on the tracks when it was hit by the train, which then pushed it about 30 feet down the tracks.  Deputies said the truck was headed northbound on FM 2100 and the train was headed east on the tracks before the crash.

A man who works at a nearby gas station said he heard the collision and saw a fire ignite.  “I saw a big fire and heard a big noise. That’s it,” the witness said. “I saw the train go through the big fire. That’s all I saw.”

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Recently, one person was killed in a Texas truck accident in Smith County. While details about the accident are still sparse, according to a local news report, the accident occurred on FM 346. The driver of the truck survived the accident with serious injuries. However, an unidentified person was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident is still under investigation, and there is no indication whether criminal charges will be pursued.

Motor vehicle collisions are one of the leading causes of preventable injury in Texas. In fact, according to the most recent data from the Texas Department of Transportation, there are more than 15,800 people injured and another 3,600 killed in Texas car accidents each year. Truck accidents are responsible for a significant portion of these collisions.

Although Texas does not have the highest population of all U.S. states, it does see the highest number of trucking accidents. In part, this is because of the large number of interstate highways spanning the state. However, there also seems to be a certain disregard of the state’s traffic laws and regulations among many Texas truck drivers. For example, the majority of Texas truck accidents are the result of entirely preventable driving behavior, such as distracted driving, drunk driving, and aggressive driving. There is also a portion of truck accidents caused by vehicle and equipment defects.

https://www.texasinjurylawyersblog.com/files/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-12-at-12.56.57-PM.pngApril 12, 2020, Houston:  Two people were killed after an Amazon tractor-trailer smashed into several vehicles that were stopped on a Houston North freeway early Friday April 10th due to previous collisions, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

An SUV towing a trailer driven by Anthony Alvarado, 22, with his wife, their children, ages 1 and 3, got a flat tire. While trying to exit the highway, a Mazda 3 sedan hit the trailer and ended up sideways in traffic.  A third vehicle, a Silverado pickup truck driven by Tyler Vail, 29, came up to the crash and while trying to avoid the accident ended up colliding with a barrier on the freeway coming to a stop in the middle lane. 

During this time the driver of the Mazda and the SUV’s passenger got out of their vehicles.  It was also at this time that Abdullah Baidas, 23, who was driving a Chevrolet SUV, stopped to help and was out of his SUV and on the freeway.  Then an Amazon tractor-trailer driven Cody Munson, 56, coming up on the scene swerved to avoid but ended up striking all of the vehicles involved and pinning both the driver of the Mazda and the passenger of the SUV and killing them instantly.  Abdullah Baidas avoided being struck by the Amazon truck by jumping off of the overpass 10 to 15 feet where he suffered minor injuries authorities said.  The 2 young children only suffered minor injuries due to being safely strapped into their car seats.  The status of the Amazon driver, Mr. Munson; pickup driver, Mr. Vail; and SUV driver, Mr. Alvarado are unknown at this time.

https://www.texasinjurylawyersblog.com/files/2020/03/Screen-Shot-2020-03-02-at-8.15.23-PM.png(March 2, 2020: POLK COUNTY, TX) – A fatal two-vehicle collision in Polk County involving a semi tractor-trailer and a passenger car happened Friday morning February 28th on US 59 near the intersection of FM 942 near the town of Leggett.

According to preliminary reports, a Mercedes Benz E-350 driven by Brenda Kirkling (60) of Houston  entered US 59 from a parking lot on the west side of the highway and was hit by a Kenworth truck tractor semitrailer. The semi then crossed over into the northbound lanes and lost the load of lumber it was carrying upon the highway.

The driver of the semi, 44-year-old Jody Jenkins from Brookeland, was not injured during the crash. The driver, Kirkling and the passenger, Lida Autry (58) of Missouri City died at the scene. This accident remains under investigation with the Texas Highway Patrol.

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