I posted on some of the local boards, but I figured I would put it here as well. It terrible that such life has to be lost at the hands of reckless drivers, and in this case a truck driver. I am not trying to single them out, but look at what this ba$tard did.
Here is the slide show from the accident. I had just passed through this portion of highway not more than 5 to 8 minutes before this happened. News stations report and eye witnesses states that the tractor trailer simply ran over 5+ cars sitting still in traffic and destroyed most of them. At least 2 are known dead, and I have heard reports now that another 2 more have perished from this senseless accident.
Here is one of the photo galleries for the accident.
http://www.kmov.com/perl/common/slid...n=www.kmov.com
This is one of the fatalities. The car use to be Audi. I believe from looking at the accident scene and the photos provided by the various News outlets, this was probably the first car the truck it. Then there was a white Ford Focus that was next and then he proceeded to plow into another 8 more cars before coming to a stop. Only because one of the cars was lodged in the Tractor Trailer's grill.
Obviously the driver did not make it. And yes you can see the Audi logo on the front grill. I think this was the first car the Tractor Trailer struck.
This was the next car he struck, the white Ford Focus, somehow the rescue workers were able to free the driver from the mangled mess, but he was in pretty bad shape.
Here is a collection of a few more cars and SUV's the truck took out before coming to a rest a few feet away.
Here you can see what remains of one of the cars stuck in the grill of the tractor trailer. Again rescue workers were able to pull someone from that debris as well.
And here are some of the news links for it as well.
http://www.kmov.com/topstories/stories/k....t.5b3b43bb.html
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/new...0?OpenDocument
Here is the Missouri Highway Patrol's offical report on the crash.
Accident Information
Investigated By Date Time County Location Troop
SERGEANT R BURCKHARDT #615 ASSISTED BY MCIU TEAM #2 07/15/2008 3:40PM ST. LOUIS HIGHWAY 40 .5 MILES WEST OF INTERSTATE 270 C
Vehicle Information Veh. # Vehicle Description Damage Disposition Driver Name Driver Gender Driver Age Safety Device Driver City/State Driver Insurance Vehicle Direction
1 2004 AUDI TT TOTAL TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING CASON, CHARLES K MALE 55 YES CASEYVILLE, IL STATE FARM EASTBOUND
2 2006 FORD TAURUS MODERATE TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING STEINHOFF, FRANK W MALE 27 YES ST LOUIS, MO STATE FARM EASTBOUND
3 2006 JEEP LIBERTY EXTENSIVE TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING WRIGHT, WENDY M FEMALE 31 UNKNOWN ST LOUIS, MO ALLSTATE EASTBOUND
4 2007 FORD FOCUS TOTAL TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING JAYNE, DAVID C MALE 49 YES KIRKWOOD, MO UNKNOWN EASTBOUND
5 2007 FORD EXPEDITION TOTAL TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING FARRELL, STEVEN E MALE 34 NO ST LOUIS, MO UNKNOWN EASTBOUND
6 1991 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER TOTAL TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING LOVELADY, GAYLEN MALE 60 YES HUNNEWELL, MO UNKNOWN EASTBOUND
7 2002 FORD EXPEDITION TOTAL TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING REGINA, MICHAEL C MALE 30 YES ST CHARLES, MO ALLIED EASTBOUND
8 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM TOTAL TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING D'ANGELO, MICHELLE M FEMALE 24 YES ST LOUIS, MO ALLSTATE EASTBOUND
9 2001 DODGE CARAVAN TOTAL TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING GARTHWAITE, MELISSA L FEMALE 35 YES MARION, IA AMERICAN FAMILY EASTBOUND
10 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY TOTAL TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING TIBURZI, MARK S MALE 52 UNKNOWN ST PETERS, MO UNKNOWN EASTBOUND
11 2005 FREIGHTLINER EXTENSIVE TAKEN BY/TO MCNAMARA'S TOWING KNIGHT, JEFFREY R MALE 49 YES MUSCLE SHOALS, AL OCCIDENTAL EASTBOUND
Injury Information Veh. # Name Gender Age Injury Type Safety Device City/State Involvement Disposition
1 CASON, CHARLES K MALE 55 FATAL YES CASEYVILLE, IL DRIVER ST LOUIS COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER TO ST LOUIS COUNTY MORGUE
2 STEINHOFF, FRANK W MALE 27 MINOR YES ST LOUIS, MO DRIVER WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO MISSOURI BAPTIST HOSPITAL
3 WRIGHT, WENDY M FEMALE 31 MINOR UNKNOWN ST LOUIS, MO DRIVER WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
4 JAYNE, DAVID C MALE 49 SERIOUS YES KIRKWOOD, MO DRIVER WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
5 FARRELL, STEVEN E MALE 34 MODERATE NO ST LOUIS, MO DRIVER WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
6 BORNTREGER, LEVI S MALE 56 SERIOUS NO CANTON, MO OCCUPANT WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
6 BORNTREGER, SUSAN FEMALE 52 SERIOUS UNKNOWN CANTON, MO OCCUPANT WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
6 EICHER, ANNA A FEMALE 58 MINOR NO KAHOKA, MO OCCUPANT WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
6 LOVELADY, GAYLEN MALE 60 SERIOUS YES HUNNEWELL, MO DRIVER WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
6 MAST, ALVIN J MALE 88 SERIOUS UNKNOWN KAHOKA, MO OCCUPANT WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
6 MILLER, LEVI MALE 56 SERIOUS NO CANTON, MO OCCUPANT WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO MISSOURI BAPTIST HOSPITAL
6 MILLER, LYDIA FEMALE 55 FATAL NO CANTON, MO OCCUPANT ST LOUIS COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER TO ST LOUIS COUNTY MORGUE
7 REGINA, MICHAEL C MALE 30 MODERATE YES ST CHARLES, MO DRIVER WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO MISSOURI BAPTIST HOSPITAL
9 GARTHWAITE, MELISSA L FEMALE 35 MODERATE YES MARION, IA DRIVER WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO MISSOURI BAPTIST HOSPITAL
9 GARTHWAITE, OWEN T MALE 5 MINOR YES MARION, IA OCCUPANT WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO MISSOURI BAPTIST HOSPITAL
9 GARTHWAITE, THOMAS D MALE 36 MINOR YES MARION, IA OCCUPANT WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO MISSOURI BAPTIST HOSPITAL
10 TIBURZI, MARK S MALE 52 SERIOUS UNKNOWN ST PETERS, MO DRIVER WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
10 WILLETT, DAVID C MALE 42 SERIOUS YES LAKEWOOD, OH OCCUPANT WEST COUNTY FIRE & EMS TO ST JOHNS HOSPITAL-CREVE COEUR
Misc. Information
FATALITY ACCIDENT - VEHICLES #1 THROUGH #10 TRAVELLING EASTBOUND WERE STOPPED OR SLOWING FOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION BEFORE BEING STRUCK BY VEHICLE #11. INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. BOTH SUBJECTS PRONOUNCED AT SCENE BY WEST COUNTY EMS PERSONNEL AT 1553 HOURS. MTD-7 YTD-75.
Somone on the KC Boards asked what happened with the driver. Here is what I gathered from talking to local officer friends of mine and what the media outlets were saying.
He, the truck driver, was uninjured in the accident surprisingly enough. He was taken to the Troop C HQ just up the road where he was questioned and released. Reports state that the Highway Patrol are looking at various charges to put against the man. I am sure no doubt the families of the loved ones who died will no doubtly sue the pants off the company and the driver.
Which in my book is the least they can do!! More than likely he will be charged with involuntary manslaughter, unless they can prove his mental state different. And a slew of other charges will soon follow I am sure. From what I heard later in the night was that two more of the critically injured people had died. But that has yet to be confirmed by the media outlets.
This spot was also the SAME EXACT LOCATION of another accident 2 years ago.
That stretch of road on 40 and 270 is one of the worst areas, there is almost some type of accident daily in that location. I am sure something is going to be done in the wake of this latest incident.Two years ago, the driver of a tractor-trailer lost control of his vehicle at almost the same spot on Highway 40, crashing through the median and into oncoming traffic. One person was killed in that eight-vehicle crash.
I am sure many people are going to ask why I posted this here. I think the answer is quite simple. Just cause you think you are safe in your car, it is not always the case, and you need to take every precaution and protect yourself all the time while driving. While most of this was unavoidable, I am sure had the truck driver been more aware of his surroundings and was taking his time and being cautious, maybe this might not have happened.
Thanks for letting me share this with you all.