The parents of two people killed in a Tennessee freeway crash involving a tractor-trailer want the Rutherford County district attorney to bring criminal charges against the truck’s driver. No charges have yet been filed; however, the district attorney has agreed to present the matter to a grand jury.
The case concerns a deadly freeway accident that happened in the early morning hours of June 13 on Interstate 24 in Murfreesboro. The two were traveling to the Bonnaroo Music Festival when their car was struck from behind by the tractor-trailer. The car burst into flames, and both passengers died at the scene. Ten other vehicles were also involved in the crash, and five people were injured.
The truck’s driver was cited for failure to exercise due care, but the parents of the victims want the driver charged with vehicular manslaughter. They claim that he would have been able to stop had he not ignored three overhead message boards warning that traffic was slowing down.
The families of those lost as a result of a car accident stemming from another driver’s negligence may be able to pursue legal action in a civil claim. These families might be entitled to a wrongful death lawsuit that may help them recover damages for multiple losses associated with the death of their loved one, including lost earning power in cases where the victim had dependents. An attorney who has experience litigating wrongful death cases may be able to help those families receive compensation for those damages by representing them in settlement negotiations with the relevant insurance companies or, if necessary, by arguing the families’ cases in a civil court.
Source: WKRN, “Families of fatal Bonnaroo traffic crash demand justice“, Jamey Tucker, October 14, 2013