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Some News About Truck Accidents Around The Nation

Cab of Gravel Truck Crushed When Semi Lands On Top Of It In California

A serious big rig accident occurred on Tuesday April 12th in Anaheim, California on the westbound 91 Freeway around 11 p.m.  A semi truck went out of control landing on the cab of a gravel truck. Anaheim is located in Orange County about 30 miles southeast of Baldwin Hills in Los Angeles.  The driver of the gravel truck was trapped in the cab after the accident and had to be removed by emergency rescue teams. The driver of the gravel truck was taken to a nearby hospital where he remains in critical condition.  The semi truck driver was not seriously injured.

One Truck Driver Injured When 2 Semis Collide In Iowa

Two semi trailers were involved in a truck accident January 7th on a highway in Jasper County, Iowa. At least one of the drivers was injured and gallons of fuel spilled in the head-on collision that occurred on Interstate 80 near the town of Colfax.  Two semi trailer trucks were traveling in opposite directions on Interstate 80.  The two tractor trailers were driving near the interstate exit for Colfax when they collided head-on for unknown reasons.  The 18 wheelers were in Jasper County when the truck accident occurred. One of the semis was pulling a flatbed trailer with some kind of large piece of machinery on the trailer. The other semi had an enclosed trailer section with the logo of GFS Inc. on the side. The area where the truck accident happened had been experiencing typical wintery weather, with intermittent snow showers on Friday morning. The highway was slick in spots and there was some snow on the ground, however officials have not determined if weather or road conditions were contributing factors in the two vehicle collision.  At least one of the drivers was injured in the truck accident and was transported to a hospital in Des Moines. The driver’s injuries were considered non life threatening and he is expected to recover. The other driver was reportedly not injured and he apparently did not require treatment or hospitalization.

Farm Tractor Hit by Semi Truck in Minnesota

            A semi truck driver, Ronald A. Voltz, 66, was involved in an accident November 23rd, leaving him injured. Voltz was traveling east on state Highway 200 when he came upon a John Deer tractor pulling farming machinery. The tractor was traveling eastbound and did not have lights. Voltz attempted to swerve to go around the tractor, but there was an oncoming traffic in the westbound lane. The semi truck’s left side struck the tractor’s right side. This collision forced the semi to enter the ditch and then overturn onto its side. Voltz was taken to Mahnomen Health Center by ambulance for a possible broken leg and the tractor driver was not injured.

Semi Truck Crashes Into Arizona Home

            On November 18th, a May Trucking semi truck that was traveling westbound on I-10, veered across the eastbound lane, crashed through a backyard wall, and hit the Burnt Wells Rest Stops caretakers home. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, there were five people in the backyard at that time. Everyone was injured in the collision and they were taken to Phoenix area hospitals by EMS teams. Carlos Gonzales, 53, and Nicholas Gonzales, 12, suffered injuries due to the flying debris. They were treated and then released from the hospital. Sharon Gonzles, 42, was admitted to the hospital for treatment of her non-life threatening injuries. Adolfo Sedillo, 70, was airlifted to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Finally, Jamie Beltran, 36, took herself to the hospital where she was treated and released. The semi truck driver, Edwards A. French, 45, was pronounced dead at the scene. It is still unknown as to why French veered across the eastbound lanes and left the roadway completely. Police officials are still investigating this fatal accident.

Head-On Collision Leaves One Dead and Two Injured

            On November 22nd as Joseph Michael McKeon, 19, was on his way home from the Cat-Griz came in Bozeman, he struck a semi truck head on. The accident near Three Forks occurred when McKeon was driving his pickup truck westbound on Interstate 90. The truck slid across the highway and into oncoming traffic. Sadly, McKeon died in the accident. McKeon’s female passenger and the semi truck driver were taken to the hospital, but their injuries are still unknown at this point. The Montana Highway Patrol believes that speed and unfavorable road conditions were both factors in the crash.

Log Truck Accident Closes Mechanicsville Turnpike

            A log truck overturned on the morning of November 23rd while it attempted to exit Interstate 295. The driver of the truck was going too fast on the exit ramp causing it to overturn, according to the Hanover County Sheriff’s department. The log driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of his minor injuries. The authorities said that they will be charging the driver with reckless driving. This accident caused major traffic backups  because it took crews several hours to remove the logs from the roadway.

An Illinois Semi Truck Accident Involving 8 Vehicles Leaves One Dead and Two Injured

            Joel Moskowitz, 49, was driving in south Monee on Interstate 57 when this semi truck accident occurred. Moskowitz was unable to stop the semi truck in time to avoid rear ending the vehicles in front of him. He attempted to avoid the collision, but instead, sideswiped another car. This caused a chain reaction involving eight auto mobiles. The traffic was not moving at the time because there had been two crashes previous. Cristobal Murillo, 23, died from the injuries he sustained in the accident. Another man was airlifted from the accident because of his serious injuries. A third victim, was taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Moskowitz received two citations for this accident: improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash.

Semi Truck Accident in California Kills Three and Injures Two

            On November 22nd a couple in their 40s and boy,14, were killed when a SUV rear-ended a semi truck that was parked legally on the shoulder of the road. Two other children, 11 and 9, were pulled from the SUV by a passerby and taken to the hospital. The place on the road where the trucker was stopped was a common area for truckers to stop for emergencies; however, some truckers stop to rest for the night. Why this truck was stopped is still under investigation. It is also still being investigated as to why the SUV veered off the road. The two young children were taken to the Children’s Hospital and are in fair condition. The truck driver was also taken to the hospital and listed in fair condition.

Semi Truck Crashes into Military Bus

            On November 17th in El Paso, Texas, a semi truck crashed into a military bus. The driver was ejected from the bus when impacted and sustained serious injury. A soldier on the bus took the wheel and brought the bus to a stop on the south side of the road. Two other soldiers were reported to be injured. The bus was traveling from Ft. Bliss to McGregor Range with about 20 people. There was a convoy of busses all heading the same way. The semi truck clipped the bus and spun both the bus and the semi truck. Police say that the driver of the semi truck stated that he was sleeping on the side of the road on Stan Roberts. He woke up and realized he was running late and pulled into the road without noticing the convoy of buses. The semi truck driver was cited for failing to yield the right of way.

Semi Truck Crashes onto Local Football Field

            A tractor trailer accident happened at the Sparta High School football field near La Crosse, Wisconsin. The southbound semi truck almost crashed head-on with a car traveling in the northbound lane. The semi truck jumped the curb, hit a power pole, and then crashed through the chain link fence that surrounds the track. George Hackler, 59, lost control of the semi truck due to a medical condition. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his medical condition. Steven Tessman, 49, was driving in the other vehicle and was also taken to the local hospital, where he was treated and released.

Multiple Accidents on Nebraska Roadways Over the Weekend

            Saturday morning the roads were starting to get icy which caused multiple accidents throughout the day. On Interstate 80, Luther F. Miller, 60, of Utah, was driving a semi that was pulling a flatbed with two other flatbed trailers. The icy road conditions caused Miller to loose control. He slid into a ditch where is tractor rolled onto its side.

            Only minutes after a motor vehicle crash, Silas Sebazungu, 39, of Gahanna, Ohio, braked his semi truck to avoid the previous crash. His semi truck was rear-ended. There was $5,000 of damage to the semi, and $1,000 of damage to the motor vehicle, but no injuries were reported. The last reported accident of the day was when 50-year-old Oleg Salikov of Quebec, Canada, rear ended a motor vehicle. The semi truck had no damage and the motor vehicle had less than $1,000 worth of damage. Once again, there were no reported injuries. Not only were there multiple tractor trailer accidents, there were also four other motor vehicle accidents that day.

            Nebraska Department of Roads issued a statement later this day that included some driving tips for winter travel. This tips included:

            Snowplows can cause soft snow to swirl which can make it difficult to see the plow and for the plow driver to see other motorists. Driving with headlights on and using windshield wipers can add visibility.

            When traveling outside of a business or residential district, it is unlawful to follow a highway maintenance vehicle (snowplow, truck or grader) more closely than 100 feet when it is plowing snow, spreading salt or sand, or displaying a flashing amber or blue light. If conditions permit, however, drivers may pass a maintenance vehicle.

            Beware of icy spots, especially on bridges and in sheltered areas. Drive at reduced speeds and allow distance for reacting to traffic. Slow down gradually when approaching curves and stops. Do not use cruise control in wet or snowy weather.

            Motorists may use studded snow tires in Nebraska from Nov. 1 to April 1. School buses, emergency vehicles and mail carrier vehicles may use them anytime during the year.

            Make sure everyone in a motor vehicle wears a seat belt and children are in a car safety seat.

Truck Driver Pleads Guilty To A Felony Charge

            On April 16th Kenneth Middlebusher, 42, was driving his semi truck on Route in Woodford. The tractor-trailer overturned on a sharp, downhill curve and then hit two cars in the opposite lane. Two men were killed as a result of this injury and a third died five months later from the injuries he sustained in the crash.

            Recently, Middlebusher has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of gross negligent operation resulting in death. Attorneys have said that they will ask the Vermont District Court judge to sentence him to one to ten years in prison. It is believed that prosecutors will ask for jail time, while defense attorneys will ask for a suspended sentence.

Wisconsin Man Killed When Car Hits Semi

            The Dodge County Sheriff's Department received an emergency call at 6:32 a.m. on October 28th that an accident had occured about six miles north of Watertown.  the preliminary investigation indicates that the 18 year old driver of the car veered into the path of the semi-truck.  The semi-truck driver tried to avoid the collision, but the car hit the side of the semi.  The young man was pronounced dead at the scene.   

Downtown Crash Caused by Milk Truck Driver

            In downtown Tulsa, a Borden milk truck crashed taking out several traffic lights on Wednesday, October 28th. The driver drove onto the sidewalk, striking several light poles, two traffic lights and a downtown Tulsa sign. The police believe that the driver lost control of his semi truck due to a medical condition. The driver was not ticketed and was taken to the local hospital for treatment.

Two Women Involved in Car/Semi Truck Accident

            On October 27th two women were seriously injured when their car struck a semi truck. Evelyn Edler, 68, the driver of the 2005 red Honda Accord, went across the center on U.S. 20 and struck the semi truck’s trailer. The semi truck driver tried to avoid the crash by swerving off the road, but the car nonetheless still hit the trailer. If the semi truck driver would not have swerved, they would have had a head on collision. The emergency crew had to use rescue tools to remove Edler from the car. The two Wakeman women were taken by a med flight to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo after the crash. According to hospital personal, that evening, Edler was listed in serious condition, and Hoover was in fair condition. The crash still remains under investigation. 

Semi Truck Crash Ignites Lawsuit

            Last August, Jeffrey Little, 28, was killed when he was driving his pickup truck behind a loaded log truck. The log truck was trying to make a turn off Highway 30 onto Old Portland Road (in Oregon, near St. Helens). The truck was carrying an extra-long load which caused the logs to swing out into traffic. The logs smashed into the pickup, taking off the cab and killing Little.

            Little’s family is now filing a lawsuit in Columbia County. They want Oregon’s Department of Transportation to enact stronger rules and to put up signs that force trucks like the one involved in the accident, to use rear pilot cars.

            Little’s crash was not the first to happen at this intersection. In fact, there were two other very similar crashes in 2008. While ODOT did enact some new rules, Little’s family does not believe that they are enough to stop accidents from occurring.