Trucking Accident Lawyer in Denver, CO
NBC News is reporting that a truck driver involved in a deadly Colorado wreck has been charged with 40 counts, including 36 felonies, for his role in the accident that ended in flames (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/truck-driver-fiery-colorado-crash-charged-40-counts-may-face-n1001941). The wreck seriously injured two people and took the lives of four others.
23-year-old Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos was charged by the state with 40 counts in total, which included four vehicular homicide counts and six assault in the first degree counts.
Pete Weir, a district attorney overseeing the case, said the 23-year-old truck driver was speeding and driving recklessly at the time of the crash. The speed limit in the area for trucks was 45 miles per hour, but Aguilera-Mederos was reportedly going more than 85 miles per hour. He was also seen by several witnesses driving recklessly prior to the accident and swerving in and out of lanes.
Aguilera-Mederos’ tractor-trailer crashed into a lane of traffic that had stopped because there was an accident ahead. The impact caused a fire to ignite, and the crash ended up involving 28 vehicles.
The truck driver only suffered minor injuries and told police that he was going the speed limit but his brakes had failed when he was going downhill. He also said he then tried the emergency brakes, but when the truck didn’t stop, he tried to get onto a shoulder to avoid hitting the stopped traffic. According to Aguilera-Mederos, he could not get onto the shoulder because of another truck, so he swerved back into the stopped traffic lane instead.
Aguilera-Mederos’ attorney has said that this was a tragic accident and that there is evidence the truck malfunctioned. He also said his client has a clean driving history, without any speeding tickets or traffic offenses on his record.
The District Attorney’s Office has said the truck was completely destroyed in the crash, so a mechanical inspection is not possible. They will, however, use other means to try to determine whether the truck’s brakes were a factor.
Currently, Aguilera-Mederos is being held in lieu of bail in the amount of $400,000. He is looking at decades behind bars if convicted on all charges, according to the state prosecutor involved in the case.
Chief Daniel McCasky, who works with the local police investigating this crash, said it was most serious wreck he’s seen in his more than 30 years in law enforcement. He added that many of the investigators involved in the case have never seen something of this magnitude.
A large truck can cause incredible damage, especially in cases where traffic has been stopped and an accident starts a chain reaction as in the case above. If you have suffered injuries in a crash involving a big truck, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, pain, and losses stemming from the accident.
Contact an experienced trucking accident lawyer in Denver, CO about your case as soon as you can. The earlier you have legal representation on your side, the better chance you will have at a successful case outcome.
Contact Richard J. Banta, P.C. for their insight into personal injury claims and truck accidents.
