New Year’s Eve in Mesa, Arizona took a tragic and even bizarre turn. 10 people were celebrating the holiday in a private residence in the The semi failed to come to a stop and ended up plowing into a single-family home near the intersection. suburban Phoenix community. At the same time, a semi-truck was barreling down U.S. 60, approaching Crismon Road in Mesa.
For reasons yet to be determined, the semi-truck driver elected to exit from U.S. 60 onto Crismon Road. The big rig operator barreled down the offramp and blew through a controlled intersection at Crismon Road. The semi failed to come to a stop and ended up plowing into a single-family home near the intersection.
A 50-year-old man named Todd Welliver was killed as a result of the semi-truck accident. It is unclear at this time as to whether Welliver lived in the residence or was a guest at the party. The home is owned by Charlotte Smith. Multiple adults and children evidently had been living in the residence, which evidently is now in unlivable condition.
An investigation is ongoing into the underlying cause of the fatal semi-accident. No timeframe has been announced for the expected completion of the investigation. As of this time, investigators have not ruled out a number of possible causes of the deadly semi-truck accident:
- Impaired semi driver
- Distracted semi driver
- Fatigued semi-truck driver
- Speed beyond what driving conditions allowed
- Mechanical breakdown or malfunction
In many cases involving a big-rig accident, multiple factors ultimately end up deemed to be the underlying causes of an accident or collision. For example, a semi accident may arise from some sort of a mechanical breakdown of the rig coupled with a driver-related issue. The most common rig operator-related issue is an impaired, distracted, or fatigued driver. Indeed, these three types of issues associated with semi-truck drivers are pervasive and persistent in the industry.
The semi-driver is a focus of the accident investigation at this time. He evidently was not injured as a result of the semi-truck accident. According to law enforcement officials, the big rig operator is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. He has submitted to a blood test to ascertain if he might have been under the influence of some sort of mind-altering substance at the time of the truck accident.
The Mesa, Arizona, semi-accident draws attention to the horrific reality of these types of incidents. Each year in the United States there are over 116,000 semi-truck accidents that involve injuries.
The vast majority of injuries sustained in commercial truck accidents are suffered by people riding in passenger vehicles involved in collisions with big rigs. Oftentimes, semi-truck accident injuries are serious and debilitating.
Semi-truck accident deaths are up over 30 percent over the course of the past decade. Over 4,100 people are killed in semi-truck crashes annually. 68 percent of those fatalities are people riding in passenger vehicles that collide with semis. 14 percent of fatalities are pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists. 17 percent of people killed in truck accidents are big-rig operators.
32 percent of semi-accidents occur on highways, interstates, and freeways. 52 percent of these types of accidents occur off of highways and interstates on other types of major roadways. 15 percent of commercial truck accidents occur on smaller roads.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a semi-truck accident, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is here for you. We are a nationwide law firm, with 40 offices located from coast to coast. We can schedule an initial consultation and case evaluation for you with a skilled, experienced, dedicated truck accident lawyer.
You can connect with our firm and schedule an appointment with a truck accident lawyer any time of the day or night at (800) 349-0000. Our semi-truck accident hotline is staffed 365 days a year, including all major holidays.
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