Truck Driver Sentenced to 4 Years For Crash
Posted on August 16, 2007
Filed Under IN THE NEWS
Robert Spencer of Michigan, was sentenced to 4 years in jail for causing a crash which killed 5 people in 2006. Last year, Spencer lost control of his truck near Fort Wayne, IN, and collided with a van carrying college students, killing five of them. Spencer admitted that he had driven over the hours of service limits.
All it takes is a split second for your life to change. This guy had probably pushed himself beyond the hours limits repeatedly, with no consequences, until this last time. If you’re tired, pull over. No load or job is worth hurting other people, or going to jail.
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[...] The main thing you must keep in mind is legal jeopardy. If you are operating over the hours limits, you are civilly and possibly criminally liable should a big accident occur. A few days ago I posted an article about how Swift Transportation has to pay a $36.5 million judgement because their driver was (probably) over hours at the time of a fatal wreck. Or, the driver himself can be prosecuted and put in jail. It may not even matter if the accident wasn’t your fault. The prosecutor can use the argument that you wouldn’t have been there to be invovled in the accident if you were following the hours rules…. an argument he will win. Here’s an example of a driver who violated the rules, and was found guilty this year. Most of time, there are little or no consequences for violating the rules. If something happens, though, there can be devastating consequences. [...]