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Report says truck driver caused accident that killed five kids

On Behalf of | Jan 16, 2019 | Firm News, Wrongful Death

Residents of South Carolina may be interested in a report about a five-vehicle accident that killed seven people on I-75 in Florida earlier in January. Investigators have found that a truck driver involved in the accident is likely to have caused the chain reaction when he moved out of his lane into the path of an oncoming car.

The crash happened near Gainesville, Fla., on Jan. 3 at around 3:40 in the afternoon. Two semi-trucks were involved in the chain-reaction crash along with three passenger vehicles. Both truck drivers were killed along with five children. Several more people were injured.

The preliminary accident report from Florida Highway Patrol says that the 59-year-old driver of one truck moved left into the path of a car for an unknown reason. The truck and a 2007 Honda sedan crashed through the guardrail proceeded into the southbound lane. The truck then struck a 2006 Chevrolet van, causing it to flip several times. The van was carrying 12 people who were on their way to Disney World.

The truck then hit another semi truck, and that collision started a fire. At the time of the accident, a fifth vehicle was reported to have either hit accident victims who had been ejected from their vehicle or hit debris in the road.

An investigation into the crash is expected to take three or four months to complete. However, Florida Highway Patrol stated that alcohol was not a factor.

Accidents involving large trucks can cause catastrophic injuries or death to drivers and passengers in smaller vehicles. When someone is killed in an accident that was the fault of a truck driver, the deceased person’s family could file a wrongful death claim against the driver.