A Chicago, Ill., truck driver was recently sentenced to serve 30 days in jail and pay a fine in connection with a truck accident that killed four people riding on a special needs bus during a snowstorm in Ohio. According to the Springfield News-Sun, a 60-year-old truck driver was sentenced on Wednesday following a court hearing. During the hearing, the man apologized to the families of the victims as the judge handed down his sentence. The judge sentenced the man after hearing the facts regarding a January truck accident that killed a bus driver and three special needs adults on Interstate 70 near Springfield.
The truck driver plead no contest in August this year to four counts of vehicular manslaughter and was found guilty of the misdemeanor charges. Investigators of the fatal truck accident believe that the man was driving too fast for slick roads when his tractor-trailer went out of control and struck the bus. Authorities reported that the truck driver was driving under the posted highway speed limit, but way too fast for the snowy road conditions when he lost control of his truck and went through the median into oncoming traffic. The bus contained disabled adults and teachers aides.
The defense for the truck driver attempted to focus on the driver’s track record when they presented the case to the judge. The truck driver has been driving truck for nearly 35 years with a spotless driving record, and no criminal history. In addition to 30 days in jail, which was reduced from 90 day initially, the truck driver must pay a fine of $3,000 and his commercial driver’s license for four years. The driver plans to file an appeal of the verdict within 30 days.
Source: WDTN “Semi driver sentenced for fatal crash” 10/20/2010