On Jan. 14, Crown attorneys issued their closing submissions in the criminal negligence trial of a transport driver accused of causing a deadly 2017 traffic accident. The crash, which involved six vehicles, occurred on Highway 401 near Highway 15 in Ontario.
According to witness statements presented in court, the defendant admitted that he had been bending down in the cab of his tractor-trailer truck when he rear-ended a Ford Focus that had slowed due to heavy traffic in the early morning of May 11, 2017. His truck then hit a GardaWorld armoured truck that was ahead of the Ford, which started a chain-reaction crash involving a Kenworth Eagle truck hauling mail, an empty tanker truck and a big rig hauling a 52-foot CA Transport trailer. The driver of the Ford and his three passengers were all killed instantly. The two occupants of the GardaWorld truck and the CA Transport driver were also seriously injured in the collision.
Crown attorneys claim that the defendant’s inattention to the road, which lasted at least 40 seconds, was similar to driving blindfolded, making him criminally negligent in the crash. However, the defendant’s lawyer argued that the incident was merely a tragic accident. The judge is expected to hand down a ruling in the case by the end of March.
Individuals who are injured in accidents caused by the negligence of anotther driver might be owed compensation for their losses, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and property loss. If a truck accident victim dies, surviving family members may also be entitled to compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of income, loss of companionship, and mental anguish. Victims could learn more about their legal options by contacting a personal injury law firm.
