Tennessee truck accident kills two, injures five

The driver of a tractor-trailer may face criminal charges after a crash that killed two people. The truck accident occurred over the summer on the interstate when the truck’s driver reportedly failed to slow down for traffic. Tennessee district attorneys have handed the case over to a grand jury to render a decision.

A man and woman were traveling the highway in hopes of attending a music event, but they never made it. Due to a prior accident, traffic became congested and at a stand still. Officials indicate that the driver of a tractor-trailer did not notice the stopped traffic and in spite of efforts to stop the vehicle, he was unable to avoid collision. The truck crashed into a total of eight vehicles and rolled over, injuring five people.

Medical personnel transported the injured victims to the hospital for treatment. The man and woman that were headed to the music event sadly died at the scene. Authorities issued the trucks’ driver a citation for failure to exercise due care, but the district attorneys may press more charges after pressure from the community and the deceased woman’s family.

Failure to exercise due care can often result in a fatal truck accident. The truck’s driver may face a significant amount of legal woes, including criminal charges and civil lawsuits. Under Tennessee law, the families of the deceased retain the right to file wrongful death suits against the trucks’ driver for the role he played in the tragic accident. The victims who suffered serious injuries also retain similar rights to pursue legal action for pain and suffering. If evidence deems the truck driver’s driving behavior to be negligent and a causal factor to the deaths or injuries, the court may award damages to the family and victims to give them a sense of justice and closure.

Source: Fox Cincinnati, Case heading to grand jury after 2 killed in Tenn. crash, No author, Oct. 14, 2013