Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Two employees were killed and a third injured in an April 22 fueling mishap at Rutland Timber and Trucking, a company near Orangeburg, South Carolina. The employees were using a homemade fuel pump powered by the truck’s battery to move diesel fuel from a storage tank to a truck - when a massive explosion was touched off. The Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Department and SLED (the State Law Enforcement Division) investigators have since determined that the diesel fuel contained an amount of gasoline. This cleared up one part of the investigation - diesel fuel alone is generally considered incapable of exploding. Still unanswered is how the gasoline came to be mixed with the diesel fuel. Thanks to the Orangeburg Times and Democrat for reporting. Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones in this tragedy.

Continue reading "Explosion at Orangeburg, South Carolina Trucking Company Takes the Lives of Two Employees" »

Two Holly Spring citizens barely escaped death when a dump truck driver lost control and overturned onto their Honda Civic.

Edmund Theodore Jackson, a resident of New Haven, Connecticut, was driving his dump trunk down Davis Road near Farm Pond Road when he lost control and veered off onto the right shoulder. Captain Everett Clendenin of the North Carolina Highway Patrol explained that Jackson then overcompensated and caused the truck to cross the center median into oncoming traffic where Kara Walden Benton was driving with Chad Michael Benton in a Honda Civic. Ms. Benton avoided a head-on collision by driving onto the shoulder of the road but still could not escape the dump truck which then tipped over directly on to the car. Chad Benton was able to quickly escape the vehicle before being treated at WakeMed but Ms. Benton was pinned inside the car for nearly two hours (!) before she was rescued and treated.

Continue reading "Dump Truck Tips Over Onto Honda Civic in Raleigh, North Carolina" »

A tractor trailer truck exploded into flames after it veered off an I-77 overpass onto Wilson Boulevard in Columbia, South Carolina. The truck overturned which caused about 75 gallons of diesel fuel to spill out over the engine and ignite. The truck driver escaped certain death when two Richland County deputies and a nearby motorist pulled him to safety. The fire caused damage to one support pillar and traffic was rerouted while the safety of the overpass was assessed.

Continue reading "Truck Plummets from Interstate 77 Overpass onto Wilson Boulevard in Columbia, South Carolina" »

A single vehicle incident on Interstate 40 in Raleigh, North Carolina, claimed the life of the driver of a tractor-trailer on April 27. The truck and box trailer burned after coming to rest at the outside shoulder. Several brave witnesses tried to rescue the driver from the wreckage, but were unable to free him before the fire engulfed the truck. Photographs from the scene show skid marks leading up to a jackknifed tractor-trailer. This suggests the driver may have slammed on his brakes, which may have led to the trailer jackknifing into the fuel tank. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident, however. Thanks to The News & Observer and WTVD for reporting.

Continue reading "Fatal Truck Accident in Raleigh, North Carolina" »

A construction worker trying to help free a stuck semi was killed on April 1 when the truck backed over him. The truck, pulling a flatbed load of concrete pipe, got stuck on a muddy dirt road. Kevin Armstrong, a site manager for Cooper River Construction, went behind the truck to attach a chain so a bulldozer could pull the truck free. The truck driver failed to verify the location of Mr. Armstrong, put the truck in reverse, and backed over him. Mr. Armstrong died at the scene.

Thanks to the Charleston, SC Post and Courier for reporting.

A Georgetown County, South Carolina collision between a Dodge Dakota and a logging truck on April 4, 2009, claimed the life of a passenger in the Dakota.

The Dakota was travelling in the Pleasant Hill community around 8:15 PM. Unfortunately, the Dodge was carrying a load of yard debris that reportedly was hanging over the back of the vehicle, obscuring the view of its rear lights. Georgetown residents Michael Elliott, age 28, and his son were riding in the bed of the Dodge pickup when the driver of a logging truck ran into the rear of the vehicle. Mr. Elliott died at the scene from his injuries. His son is expected to recover from his injuries. The driver of the Dodge pickup was charged with driving under the influence.

This collision had several contributing factors: an intoxicated driver, passengers in the bed of a pickup, and a load that covered the taillights. Any of these factors alone could lead to a tragedy, but the combination proved deadly when a multi-ton tractor trailer is the impacting vehicle.

Thanks to the Sun News and SCnow for reporting.