A 48-year-old man has been charged with criminally negligent homicide in relation to a truck accident that occurred on June 2. That accident involved six vehicles and took the life of the executive director of Annie’s List, Grace Garcia. Garcia was an aide to former President Clinton and his wife. Anne’s List is an organization that supports female democratic candidates who are pro-choice.
The tragic crash occurred on Interstate 35S in Waxahachie, Texas. The 58-year-old victim was a passenger in a Ford Focus. The vehicle was stopped in traffic because emergency crews were working on another fatal accident about a mile up the road. The Focus was hit from behind by a commercial truck from Oak Farms Dairy.
The executive director was killed instantly, and the driver of the Focus was taken by helicopter to a hospital nearby. The pair had been headed to Dallas from Houston for an event.
According to a lieutenant with the Waxahachie Police Department, there were signs that the truck driver tried to stop before striking the Focus. The driver allegedly told police that the brakes on the truck did not work when he tried to stop, although the brakes had apparently been working up to the time of the accident. In addition, the truck driver said that he was on his cellphone at the time of the crash but a hands free device was in use.
After the initial crash, the Focus was shoved into a 2007 Acura TL. The Acura then struck a U-haul trailer that was hooked up to a 2014 Ford F-150.
When accidents occur due to a semi-truck driver’s negligence, the victims or their families can seek compensation from the driver; however, the driver’s employer could also be held liable. There are others that may be found liable as well. An experienced personal injury attorney can provide more information on possible defendants in such a case.
Source: The Waxahachie Daily Light, “Trucker charged in fatal six-vehicle accident” Andrew Branca, Oct. 16, 2014