June 30, 2001, was a deadly day of tractor-trailer accidents on I-85 in North Carolina (NC). A major accident that involved five vehicles left three people dead. The tractor-trailer driver who caused the North Carolina wreck is charged with felony death by vehicle, driving while impaired and possessing drugs including marijuana and methadone. No word was available on whether he was driving drunk or driving under the influence of drugs, but it may have been both.
Three people lost their lives in this horrific accident that the NC Highway Patrol is still investigating. Other people were taken to the hospital with injuries from the crash that looks more like a warzone than a traffic accident. At the scene, a full size pick-up truck was smashed into the grill of the tractor-trailer and almost unrecognizable.
Investigators are still trying to reconstruct the accident to determine exactly what happened. As a North Carolina trucking accident attorney, I know that when commercial truck drivers are negligent the consequences can be devastating. This NC truck accident may be even more difficult than most because of the multiple vehicles, multiple deaths and the fact that the police don’t know what happened yet. In addition, if the big rig is from an established trucking company, the company will often send an investigator to gather evidence and minimize their liability.
For those three people who lost their lives my thoughts go out to their families who will have to spend this July 4th holiday weekend mourning instead of celebrating. Three separate lives all valuable and all taken in an instant because the driver of the tractor trailer was driving while impaired. If you had a loved one taken from you because of a drunk driver, speak with a lawyer to discuss your legal options.
CA