When a vehicle and a truck are involved in a fatal car accident, many times people look to the truck driver for fault. However, that isn’t always the case. Regular vehicles can cause car accidents as quickly and as easily as truck drivers. Tragedy struck New Orleans last week when a woman driving the wrong way struck an oil tanker head-on, causing a fatal explosion.
The crash happened in the early morning hours near the intersection of Franklin and Claiborne. The crash occurred when the woman driving a black Acura proceeded in the wrong direction on Claiborne Avenue. That is when she struck the diesel-carrying tanker that happened to be carrying 8,500 gallons of fuel. The tanker than smashed into a nearby sign and very quickly went up in flames. The blast radiated a half-mile and was classified as a level 2 hazardous materials incident. Sadly, it claimed the life of the tanker driver who was inside the cab at the time of the explosion.
The woman left the scene of the accident due to concern for her life. She later called paramedics to the scene and police followed when she refused medical treatment. She has now been charged with negligent homicide due to her role in the deadly accident. A breathalyzer and blood test was given to the woman shortly after the accident, but the results have not yet been reported.
Deadly accidents such as this prove how quickly a poor decision can turn into a life-altering one. The woman most likely did not mean to take the life of the tanker driver, but inadvertently may have caused the crash that took his life. The family of the tanker driver will likely be weighing their legal options during this difficult time.
Source: wnem.com, “Woman charged after crashing into truck, causing fatal explosion,” Oct. 6, 2014