Trucker in Fatal 154 Crash in Court

There are 16 US States whose DMV require periodic vehicle safety inspections. [There may be 19 depending on what source of information you use.] The State with the most number of drivers does not have this safety requirement.

Somebody, please tell Dos Williams not to micromanage the roadways in the State of California. If anything is to be done to reduce the incidence of fatalities such as in the above article then it is the CA DMV regulations that need to be modified.

Please don't tell me there are two Williams . . . One Das is enough!

Why is the Independent defending this guy by claiming he was "unable to stop?" That's absurd.

He could have easily chosen to crash into the mountainside anywhere along 154, but he didn't.

He chose to risk innocent folk's lives by driving into a populated area (motels, restaurants, etc.) instead of crashing his truck off the 154 and only risking his own life.

I agree with Lars on this one. I'd rather have died myself than have harmed someone in such a situation.

for the record, the houses that he drove into were shielded from view. I heard that he was actually in control and at a fairly low speed--this is evident by the direction he went, which was a sharp right from the end of 154 and no damage to surrounding cars or bldgs except for the hidden ones.

I feel so bad for this man and am horrified that the D.A. decided to prosecute him. I imagine he has and will suffer enough w/o jail. And are they going to prosecute every fatal accident that is caused by a mechanical oversight?
This is just a horrible accident, nothing about it is criminal IMO.

btw, I was seconds away from crossing the path of his big rig on my way to work-- though I would have been hurt (even w/my Volvo), I wish it had been so to save this family.

SB Dianne makes some interesting points, but ultimately at the cost of her own argument and opinion:

1. If reports about his low speed are true, then all the more reason he should have never crossed Calle Real and the 101 bridge endangering cross traffic and pedestrians. He could have instead driven his truck into the hillside or brush along the right side of San Marcos pass either once you cross the creek bridge prior to the slight uphill portion, or down anywhere along the other side.

2. He is ultimately responsible for the condition of his truck.

3. People were killed and as a result, whether intentional or not, when coupled with his intentional disregard for the verified safety of his truck, it IS criminal.

4. Mechanical failure is one thing. Failure to exercise mechanical oversight in the face of a known condition, quite another.

No, Diane.

The trucker drove off the 154 into a clearly populated area. He drove right between a motel and a restaurant. The house the young family lived in was not "shielded from view." Anybody with their eyes open could see it.

The trucker's complete lack of common sense, not to mention his failure to properly maintain the truck, lead to the senseless deaths of a very nice young family.

There's no defense for this moron's careless actions. None.

Don't you just love all the Monday morning quarterbacks telling us all "What they would have done?" It's is very easy to say, "I would have done it this way" after the fact and after the tragedy.

Please all you bleeding hearts stop telling us all what you would have done because it never turns out the way you would have wanted it.

What we Monday morning quarterbacks "would have done" is common sense to most people.

Are we in Saudi Arabia? You people that want to see this man criminally prosecuted are out of your minds. It was an accident. Common sense? Ever get a ticket for speeding? I bet that you fight minor speeding tickets in court, even when you know you were speeding. Where's the concern for public safety? Let's throw everyone in jail, society would be so much safer.

Criminal negligence resulting in manslaughter seems a valid charge in this case.

EZK,

"Criminal negligence"? What proof do you have that this individual set out that day with a motive to drive his truck and kill someone??? Common sense? You have none..... DarNel, you hit the nail on the head!!! EZK is probably the same person who would stand on a street corner denouncing oil while standing next to his car complaining gas prices are to high...