Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Loose Bomb Squad Trailer Under Investigation


Apr 24, 2009 9:13 pm US/Eastern

Loose Bomb Squad Trailer Under Investigation

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Police are promising to get to the bottom of what they call a "very dangerous situation" – an accident involving the city's bomb squad trailer.

The 7,500-pound bomb squad trailer somehow broke free near the exit ramp from Bigelow Boulevard Thursday.

No one was hurt.

Public Safety Director Mike Huss says he's concerned.

"This is a dangerous situation and we need to be able to tow this vehicle around but we've got to make sure that this doesn't happen again," he said.

Public safety experts are painfully aware. It's happened before.

In April of 2006, an improperly installed, 6,000-pound wood chipper broke free from a truck on Route 8, killing a Cranberry man and two of his three triplets.

Last December on Route 19, a trailer came loose from a truck, killing an Ellsworth woman instantly.

It's a problem so severe that Pittsburgh Police have conducted trailer safety seminars for commercial vehicles.

Agencies from around the region have made trailer safety and enforcement a top priority.

Investigators will determine how the Pittsburgh bomb squad trailer broke free and make changes before it's used again.

"We gotta make sure first of all that everyone's trained properly, that the equipment's working properly and that something like this never happens again," Huss said.


$19 million lawsuit filed in 2007 Bay Bridge crash



$19 million lawsuit filed in 2007 Bay Bridge crash


Published 04/26/09

The families of three men killed on the Bay Bridge in 2007 after a trailer detached from an SUV are claiming the state is partially to blame for the ensuing seven-vehicle pileup and the deaths of their loved ones.


In a $19 million wrongful-death lawsuit filed earlier this month, the families of James Hewitt Ingle and father and son Randall and Jonathan Orff argue the Maryland Transportation Authority was negligent May 10, 2007, when it allowed two-way traffic on the bridge's westbound span.

They noted previous wrecks and fatalities while two-way traffic was in effect on the bridge, and said the state should have known it needed barriers to separate lanes and a notification system to warn drivers of the "dangerous and perilous condition" awaiting them.

Officials with the transportation authority - the agency responsible for the bridge and one of eight defendants named in the suit - declined to comment on the allegations.

However, Sgt. Jonathan Green, a spokesman for authority Police, said shortly after Ingle and the Orffs were killed that two-way traffic did not contribute to the crash.

"If the trailer had not come unhitched, there would not have been an accident," he said, echoing similar comments included in a police report that downplayed the significance of two-way traffic with regard to the accident.

In addition to the transportation authority, the lawsuit names as defendants the driver of the sport utility vehicle, Stephen Adam Burt of Rockville, the owner of the trailer, Levon Andonian of Gaithersburg, two truck drivers involved in the pileup and their employers.

Burt and Andonian could not be reached for comment, and it is unclear who will represent them in the lawsuit, which was filed April 1 in county Circuit Court.

Paul D. Bekman, the attorney representing the victims' families, said his clients' loved ones did not have to die.

"This was a preventable tragedy," said Bekman, who is representing Esther Marie Orff, Randall's wife and Jonathan's mother, and Debra Sue Ingle, James Ingle's wife. Brandon Orff, Randall's surviving son, also is named as a plaintiff.

According to the lawsuit, on the day of the wreck two-way traffic was in effect on the three-lane westbound span. The right and center lanes remained westbound, while the left lane was eastbound.

Police said Burt was driving his 2000 Lincoln Navigator west across the Bay Bridge at about 4 p.m. when a homemade trailer he was hauling came loose. The trailer slid into the path of the Orffs' eastbound vehicle - ultimately resulting in the seven-vehicle pileup.

Randall Orff, 47, of Millington, and his son, Jonathan, 19, died in the wreck, as well as Ingle, 44, a former Crofton resident who worked in west county at the time.

No charges were filed against Burt, though the safety chains he used were too long and he did not use a hitch pin to secure the trailer.

Police said "no current regulations exist that can be applied to the proper securement of a trailer by the public in a noncommercial manner," and prosecutors said "it is unlikely that a reasonable person would have anticipated that the trailer would break loose."

The lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of Burt regarding the operation of his vehicle and that Andonian was negligent when he built the trailer without a safety hitch pin. It also alleges the drivers of two tractor-trailers involved in the wreck were negligent; that they were driving too fast under the circumstances and failed to control their vehicles.

Fifteen months after Ingle and the Orffs were killed on the westbound span of the bridge, there was another fatal accident on the eastbound span. Two-way traffic also was in effect that day.

Police said John R. Short, 57, of Willards, in Wicomico County on the Eastern Shore, was driving a tractor-trailer west across the bridge at about 3:50 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2008, when an eastbound car veered into his lane. He swerved left, smashed through a concrete barrier and careened into the Chesapeake Bay. Short died in his rig.

Officials continued to defend two-way traffic after that wreck.

Ronald Freeland, executive secretary of the MTA, said at a news conference, "Two-way traffic is not the optimum way to do business," and that the MTA tries to minimize its use.

But authority Police Chief Marcus Brown argued two-way traffic can be safe.

"We actively manage the risk that is involved," he said.

The defendants

The families of three men killed in a 2007 multi-car crash on the Bay Bridge filed a wrongful-death civil lawsuit this month, naming the following eight entities as defendants:

  • Maryland Transportation Authority, the agency that oversees the Bay Bridge.
  • Stephen Adam Burt, driver of the SUV hauling a trailer that detached and caused the seven-car pileup.
  • Levon Andonian, owner of the trailer that caused the accident.
  • Joshua Hargrove, driver of a tractor-trailer involved in the crash.
  • Mobile Mini Inc., a Tempe, Ariz., company that employed Hargrove.
  • Edwin Dixon, driver of a second tractor-trailer involved in the crash.
  • AG Trucking Inc., a Goshen, Ind., company that employed Dixon.
  • Travelers Property Casualty Co. Of America, the company that issued the car-insurance policy for one of the men killed in the crash.

What Inspections? - April 28, 2009

Someone stated that a homemade trailer is inspected? Maryland is a No Inspection State... What standards do they look for? Can Someone show me the guidlines for an inspection of a trailer? All they look for is lights... and wheels... and they give you a vin number. That is all,, they don't check the wheels, Rims, construciton and length of safety chains. How long are the chains? What strength? What type, how do you maintain? Your State had almost 2 years to fix this problem but yet another person can be killed and what is the driver charged with? We can form a Utility Trailer Hit man company and go into Maryland and take out somebody and what are we charged with? Also.... Can someone get a step by step inspection requirements of a trailer? If you have one.... it is only a one time inspection... so you can have it for 10 years and have 24 - 7 exposure to the elements... and have dry rotted tires and you don't have to get it inspected again. www.dangeroustrailers.org

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Ron Melancon - Glen Allen, VA


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Trailer Inspection - April 27, 2009

To clear up some misinformation, All home-made trailers must have a MARYLAND SAFTEY INSPECTION CERTIFICATE to be registered in Maryland. I just checked with the MD-DMV and verified this information. Either the trailer was improperly tagged or the inspector did a negligent job inspecting the trailer. Somebody has some explaining to do! I can not figure out why the driver pulling the trailer and the trailers registration is not getting more attention. I know if it was me I would have been charged with everything under the sun, including unsafe operation of a vehicle, reckless driving etc... I pull several trailers and my insurance policy covers everything attached to my vehicle, just as everyone elses should. I do not and would not pull a homemade trailer. Too bad newspapers don't do investigative journalism anymore, someone somewhere is covering up something in this mess!! Giving all that I feel bad for the people that lost family members and wish them the best, if thats possible.

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S R. - ,


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2 way traffic - April 27, 2009

Two way traffic is not the real issue here. There are tens of thousands of miles of roads in this country that are two way. Anyone that cannot stay in a designated lane perhaps should not be driving. I think anyone would be hard pressed to find that the road pattern caused any accident anywhere. I fail to see how anything but human error was to cause in this accident and no matter what we do that will be a factor that will never be taken out of driving. More cops on the bridge would not have made the trailer stay attached.

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David Kyle - Pasadena, MD


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Reckless Drivers - April 27, 2009

Anyone who has driven on the Bay Bridge knows that drivers drive recklessly for the conditions. Perhaps some of you reading this are guilty of that. I don't drive there regularly, but I remember being shocked at being tailgated on the bridge, with people darting in and out of lanes, even while I myself was driving 5-10 mph over the speed limit.

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A complete failure of our Governmen - April 26, 2009

When you get a moment please go to [link]. Our government has know about our efforts since 2004. A full 3 years before this tragic accident. In fact we had a trailer accident right here in Virginia back in 2006 involving can you guess??? A homemade traier... please go here to see the report.. [link]The Utility Trailer Industry does not want to make a better product because it will cost them profit. NO INSPECTIONS, NO TRAINING, NO STANDARS ARE IN PLACE for any trailer under 3,000 pounds. The Federal Government has failed to mandate a Federal Standard for a trailer Hitch... guess who won... the Utility Trailer Industry. We got your Governor to form a Task Force.. Go here to view... [link] Guess who stoped this... Yes The Utilty Trailer Industry. In fact the Utility Trailer Industry including Carry On Trailers has paid into the Campain of Congressman Whittman!!!! Yes Once again they have friends in very good places. Since 1976 over 14,810 people killed.. Since 1988 Over 449,000 people injured and Since 1988 over 1,500,000 things damanged and destroyed by "Passenger Cars That Tow Trailers. In fact my family is almost in Bankrupsey because like a fool.... I thought I was doing good... but yet the Utility Trailer Industry has tried to destroy my efforts... They have more money. So....In fact we have a defective trailer hitch and our government chooses not to issue a recall please go here to view report [link] Our Government has enacted federal regulations for bumpers, child seats, seat belts, lead paint, children's toys, food and many other items. Yet for some reason the Utility Trailer Industry has been successful in lobbing our government to look the other way with all trailers under 3,000 pounds. So... Dangerous Trailers.org States: "It make more sense for city and state agencies responsible for the Safety of highways to make A UNIFIED Safety Standard for Utility Trailers under 3,000 pounds to make them safer instead of having to deal with Lawyers, Courts, Injuryies, Lost Productivity after a tragic crash like this. When will we act??? when the next person is killed?? The Utilty Trailer Industry.. Profit over Safety.

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Ron Melancon - Glen Allen, VA


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Fault? - April 26, 2009

The driver of the SUV, the person or company that designed the trailer, the company that sold the metal to build the trailer, the welder, the welding rod manufacturer? Heck, sue EVERYBODY! And one wonders why insurance is so expensive. As Forrest Gump said; 'Sh@t Happens'.

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Emma G. - West River, MD


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bridge - April 26, 2009

this is an obvious shot at the MTA and I'm glad someone stepped up to take some action. clearly the gov hasn't felt enough pressure to do a darn thing to make the traffic patterns safer. such as: more officers on duty around the clock, and not just decoy cars!? more traffic enforcement!!?? an independent study of the safety of the bridge???!!

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j. phelps - stevensville, MD


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who wins - April 26, 2009

although I agree w/ most said however, with hindsight there are no accidents and or mistakes. If the driver of the suv honestly thought the trailer was hitched sufficiently, then it was clearly an accident. If the driver of the suv had 2nd thoughts about pulling out of his driveway then yes he should be penalized, but I doubt he did. I am sure he is suffering as much as the family. And I am sure the family is feeling the same way, in a small way. I agree with the spouse and family suing for damages, not for their own profit,(on which I am positive they are not) but to make a point that something has to be done about the 2 way traffic pattern that has caused many mishaps..perhaps not as deadly as theirs. I did see a possible solution as to temporary barriers when the 2 way traffic pattern is in effect. Perhaps we need to look into our $$$ spending and do it wisely before another family is,... well not a family any more. Instead of criticizing each other w/ all of these comments posted, maybe we need to come together as citizens of Anne Arundel County, Queen Annes County or Just Maryland as a Whole, whom have loved ones across the bridge(either way), or if not, but come together and make sure this tradegy does not happen again.

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m moorelend - annapolis, md


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on 2nd though Mr. Luce. - April 26, 2009

The fact that there are no regulations for the proper securing of a non-commercial trailer is a known , measurable variable. It is not necessarily a contributing factor to the accident however, as according to the cops the reasonable man standard should apply.

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Tina Schubbie - annapolis, MD


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Who wins - April 26, 2009

It is unfortunate that a family has to live through something as tragic as the death of a loved one. While any accident can be prevented, that does not mean they always will. A mistake on the part of one person has caused the family this loss. To blame others and the State is unreasonable. No one can put a real price on the life a loved one. While I doubt the family saw dollar signs as soon as this accident happened, I know lawyers did. I have to wonder how many rushed to find contact information so they could pitch their case. With a lawyer blaming anyone they could possibly think of they help insure that they will get a big payout. By naming the State the lawyers in this case hope to be able to tap what they believe is the bottomless pit of the taxpayers wallet. In the sue happy country we live in, it is the lawyers that ultimately make out. While I think compensation must be paid for the lost lives, I think they, must be reasonable. If the State pays, taxpayers end up with the bill. If the companies and insurance pay, we all lose as they just pass on the cost to the consumers, who are also the taxpayers. People might think the families win, and maybe they do but they still have lost loved ones. No amount of money would replace the loss of one of my family, it would not even make it bearable, but is there a point when trying to replace a loss becomes greed or revenge? So then we go back to the one group that wins no matter what, the lawyers. Is it any wonder lawyers are the ones who fight tort reform so vigorously?

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David Kyle - Pasadena, MD


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P. Luce - April 26, 2009

though your points seem possible, much of it is mere speculation. you present to us a perfect storm scenario yet none of the variables are certain except for the fact that the trailer was unsafe and detached from the Navigator. This was hardly a convergence of dangerous variables my friends, as the only variable that is certain is the complete and utter disregard for the safety of others by the driver of the SUV. My friends, let me make it clear, safety is no accident.

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Tina Schubbie - annapolis, MD


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Lawsuit - April 26, 2009

This accident is like most of this magnitude: several separate instances of negligence, some more egregious than others, converge to create catastrophe. The trailer maker appears to have omitted one of two available safety devices; the state did not regulate trailers; the driver pulling the trailer may not have secured the hitch properly; poor planning on the part of the state reduced the safety on the bridge significantly vis--vis two-way traffic; finally, all the drivers were probably speedingten over is speedingdont we all want to just wink and say well thats expected. According to the federal government, crashes were speed was factor cost the Maryland economy about $300 million each year. This lawsuit is not without risks for those filling it: they could lose and lose big. It is a free country, right! If they have weighed the risks and want to go forwardgood. I happen to agree that they are doing the right thing. Judges and juries are not as stupid as the insurance companies and their lobbyists want us to think. They will hash through all the negligence here; and, at the end of the day maybe all the parties clean up their act: stop over-the-limit driving; stop state mismanagement; and, poor regulation. In fact, I would say that it is their civic duty to do everything they can to prevent this from happening again. We would be far less safe in a society void of lawsuits.

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P. Luce - Annapolis, MD


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Navigator Hillbilly - April 26, 2009

Hopefully they'll keep this hillbilly and their home-made trailer off of the road for good.

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Walter N. - Delmar, MD


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Lawsuit - April 26, 2009

Although negligence was involved, I don't feel the comments by Ms. Schubbie could ever be taken seriously. If her dog were to slip out of her home and run into traffic and cause a deadly accident, I'm sure she wouldn't want to be put to death ! Yes, negligence is the key word here and the fault in my mind lies entirely with the driver of the SUV. The commercial truck drivers who were also involved, were not proven to have been driving in a wreckless manner, therefore I believe that the plantiffs in this case are simply looking for the largest payday they can get by going after the largest entities involved. You can't get blood from a turnip, but you can squeeze cash from large companies who have even larger insurance companies ! I feel bad for the families who lost loved ones, but blaming all the others who were unfortunate victims of Mr. Burt's negligence won't bring them back either !

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Dan C. - North Beach, MD




Trailer in accident had defective rim, inspection overdue


Trailer in accident had defective rim, inspection overdue

Durango man died when wheel crashed through windshield


Herald Staff Writer
Article Last Updated; Wednesday, April 08, 2009
A trailer that lost two wheels and killed a Durango man last month north of Aztec had a defective rim and was overdue for an inspection, according to the New Mexico Motor Transportation Division.


The driver who pulled the trailer will be cited with operating unsafe equipment and failing to pre-inspect the flatbed, said Officer Justin Tucker, with the Motor Transportation Police, in a phone interview Tuesday.

The company that owned the flatbed, Moberg Welding, will be cited with failing to inspect the trailer annually as required by law, Tucker said.

The citations are not criminal in nature; rather they go against a driver's or company's safety score and could affect insurance rates, he said.

The crash occurred about 1 p.m. March 13 on U.S. Highway 550, about six miles north of Aztec.

Ron Newton, 44, an employee of Brainstorm Internet, was killed when a wheel came crashing through the windshield.

Newman was the passenger in a BMW sport utility vehicle being driven by Phil Bryson, owner of Brainstorm Internet in Durango.

As Bryson and Newton traveled northbound, a southbound truck lost two left tires off its trailer. One tire jumped a concrete lane divider and went through the windshield of the BMW, striking Newton.

Bryson was largely uninjured in the crash, although he suffered a few facial lacerations from the broken windshield.

Tucker, who inspected the trailer after the crash, said the stud holes on the tire rim were elongated, and the trailer had not been formally inspected since 2005 - four years overdue.

"A good rim will have perfect circular stud holes," Tucker said. "On this particular rim, there were about two stud holes that were elongated - they were more oval. The oval part where it had been worn was rusted over, so it had been like that for a while."

Other stud holes on the rim were elongated, too, but they were not rusted out, indicating they warped when the wheels came off.

A proper annual inspection would have revealed the elongated stud holes, Taylor said.

"If you looked close enough, I guarantee you could have seen the elongation happening behind the actual lug nut - if there was even a lug nut there, because we didn't find any of the lug nuts," he said.

The driver of the truck, Ronnie Jacquez, 34, of Bloomfield, N.M., told authorities he did a pre-inspection of the trailer, and the only thing he noticed was a couple of loose boards on the trailer deck, Taylor said.

"He could have maybe overlooked the rim itself, but he should have been able to see the wear on the rim itself."

The trailer was 30 feet long with eight wheels, two tires apiece under the four wheel hubs. A John Deere backhoe was on top of the flatbed at the time of the accident.

In a brief interview Tuesday, an employee with Moberg Welding disputed that the trailer hasn't been formally inspected since 2005. He declined to comment further.

It is not uncommon for tires to fall off trailers when the rims have developed elongated holes, Taylor said.

He added: "This particular accident that happened on March 13 though, it was a freak accident. ... The tire actually bouncing over the median and directly into a windshield like that - that is not very common."

shane@durangoherald.com

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Runaway trailer seriously hurts teen driver.... In Kentucky Again....



April 21, 2009

Runaway trailer seriously hurts teen driver

Staff report

RINEYVILLE — A local teen was seriously injured Monday night in a wreck on Ky. 1600 just west of Rineyville.

According to Kentucky State Police, Kaela N. Vessels, a 17-year-old Vine Grove resident, was westbound on Rineyville Road around 9 p.m. when a 12-foot utility trailer broke loose from an eastbound tow vehicle and struck the 1998 Monte Carlo Vessels was driving head-on.

Vessels initially was taken to Hardin Memorial Hospital and later was airlifted to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville for treatment of life-threatening injuries, police stated in a news release.

Kosair Children’s Hospital spokesman Bryan Reublen said the hospital listed Vessels in serious condition as of Tuesday morning.

Brandenburg resident, William L. Mills, 47, was driving the Honda minivan from which the trailer disconnected. Mills suffered no serious injuries, according to police.

As of noon Tuesday, no charges had been filed in Hardin District Court in connection to the wreck.

Kentucky State Police say they continue to investigate the crash.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Another Loose Trailer Destroys Guardrail




NOTE:

Look at the condition of the TRAILER.

These Trailers never get inspected!!! No Federal Standards Exist for any Trailer under 3,000 pounds GWR.

Local News

A Couple of Crashes
Apr 17, 2009


On Thursday, a trailer being pulled down the Bypass decided to go its own way. It came loose from the truck pulling it and crashed through the guardrail. A few hours and a little help from a tractor and it was cleared.

Voices From The Famlies... Could We have a defective Trailer Hitch?

Hi, my husband was the XXXXXXX man in 2008 # on your list. XXXX had 20 years experience driving and pulling trailers CDL license. I know our hitch broke before we rolled I saw the trailer coming up on the passengers side.It was a brand new hitch right out of the box that day . it looks to me as a bad weld. We are still looking into that.He is greatly missed and our lives are forever changed!

Teens killed in I-40 crash Second in Two Weeks


Staff Reports • published April 17, 2009 6:05 pm

Comments on Topix forums (click to comment):

ASHEVILLE – A 15-year-old boy died and a girl suffered critical injuries after the truck in which they were riding rolled over Friday on Interstate 40.

That crash led to another crash on I-40 that sent six people to the hospital, including two rescued from a fiery car by good Samaritans.

The first crash happened about 1:30 p.m. on I-40 westbound near the Oteen exit, N.C. Highway Patrol Sgt. Greg Dills said. The father of the children was driving a Dodge Durango and lost control when the 30-foot travel trailer he was towing began to sway back and forth, Dills said.

The Durango overturned and landed on a guardrail, Dills said. The 15-year-old, identified as Michael Courtright, was dead at the scene. A 14-year-old girl remained in critical condition late Friday at Mission Hospital, Dills said.

The teens were traveling with their parents, and their father was driving, Dills said. The trooper who investigated the crash was unavailable late Friday afternoon, but law enforcement at the scene said the family was from Wisconsin. The parents did not suffer any serious injuries, Dills said.

Troopers will consult with the District Attorney's Office about possible charges, Dills said, and troopers will try to determine whether the boy was wearing a seat belt.

As traffic backed up from the crash, a 1992 Pontiac driven by Rebecca Allison struck a Dodge pickup truck in the rear, Trooper D.F. Pressley said. The crash happened about 2:50 p.m. near the 62 mile marker.

Pressley said it did not appear Allison attempted to stop her vehicle before the crash. Pressley estimated Allison's speed at about 65 mph at impact.

Good Samaritans rescued Pressley and a 7-week-old baby from her vehicle, which was engulfed in flames when Pressley arrived at the scene. Pressley and the infant were taken to the hospital along with the Dodge driver Gene Hutson, 68, of Eden, and three passengers in his truck. None of the injuries were considered life threatening, Pressley said.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Loose Trailer Injures Two VDOT employees



I-95 accident injures two VDOT employees Loose trailer carrying cinder blocks causes mishap


Loose trailer causes morning wreck on northbound Interstate 95; traffic delays of four miles


Date published: 1/9/2007

A trailer carrying cinder blocks came unhitched from a dump truck yesterday on Interstate 95 northbound near Courthouse Road in Stafford County, injuring two people and snarling traffic.

"It broke loose and hit everything in its path," said Tina Bundy, Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman.

One of the vehicles damaged in the incident was a VDOT truck. Two VDOT workers suffered minor injuries when their truck was flipped onto its side about 8:20 a.m. just south of mile marker 142. The VDOT truck was traveling slowly on the interstate's right shoulder, patrolling for signs of high water and picking up trash, police said.

The VDOT workers--driver Stuart Ross Stevens Jr. and passenger Trish McDonald--were pulled out through the windshield and taken to Mary Washington Hospital by ambulance. State police 1st Sgt. Chris Warriner said their injuries weren't life-threatening.

The trailer came unhitched from a dump truck traveling in the right lane, Warriner said. He said rush-hour traffic was slow; the dump truck's driver lost control when he tried to stop. He hit the VDOT truck, and the trailer went more than 100 feet north. It hit a Jeep Grand Cherokee near its gas tank.

The driver of the dump truck was 23-year-old Jason Ray Goldizen of Buckeye, W.Va., Warriner said. He was driving for Richardson-Wayland Electrical Co. of Roanoke. Goldizen was charged with reckless driving.

The right lane and right shoulder of I-95 were closed, causing a four-mile backup, Bundy said. Traffic got by in the left and center lanes. Both trucks were towed away. All lanes reopened about two hours after the wreck.

To reach KELLY HANNON:540/374-5436
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com

Father, son die in King George crash


Please note:

This is just a tragic accident.

Please ask yourself as you read this news article.

What training is required before you tow a trailer?

What condition was the trailer in?

Was the Trailer over 3,000 pounds?

Was the trailer inspected?

Was the hitch defective? We had defective hitches being used across this country
and no recalls has been issued.

Virginia State Government is Silent and has done nothing to address... go here
to view what the Virginia State Crash Team Stated back in 2006.
http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/uploads/TA14new.pdf

Father, son die in King George crash


A father and son have both died as the result of an accident that occurred when the pickup truck they were riding in went out of control and crashed head-on into an oncoming tractor-trailer, state police said.

Date published: 4/11/2009


A father and son have both died as the result of an accident that occurred when the pickup truck they were riding in went out of control and crashed head-on into an oncoming tractor-trailer, state police said.

Richard W. Carpenter Jr., 58, and Richard W. Carpenter III, 26, were both pronounced dead at Mary Washington Hospital following the crash on State Route 206 in King George County, state police spokesman Sgt. Tom Cunningham said.

According to Cunningham, the accident took place at 2:36 p.m. about two miles west of Indiantown Road. The two men and the younger Carpenter’s 4-year-old daughter were heading east in a 1994 Ford F-150 pickup truck that was pulling a large utility trailer.

The elder Carpenter hit his brakes after the utility trailer ran off the road to the right, police said. As he tried to regain control, the trailer, which did not have an operational braking system, caused the truck to cross the center yellow line. There it ran head-on into a 1998 flatbed tractor-trailer hauling industrial supplies. The impact caused the trailer to be detached from the pickup truck, Cunningham said.

The tractor-trailer driver, who was not charged, was treated for minor injuries at the hospital. Hailey Carpenter, 4, also suffered minor injuries and was treated at the hospital.

The road was closed for a significant amount of time as police and rescue workers tended to the injured and investigated the crash. The younger Carpenter man and his daughter were flown to Mary Washington, where he died several hours later.

Police said none of the Carpenters were properly restrained in the pickup. Trooper A.M. Bowen investigated the crash.

--Keith Epps