Richard Jeffrey, 43, was killed in a fiery Fresno County truck accident the morning of June 1, 2009, the Fresno Bee reports. Jeffrey was apparently southbound on Highway 41 in a 2006 Nissan Altima near Mount Whitney Avenue when his car drifted off the road and ended up crossing into the northbound lane, California Highway Patrol officials said Jeffrey’s car hit the front left side of a 1996 Freightliner big rig driven by Eduardo Lopez, 41. The car-truck collision ruptured the big rig’s fuel tank, setting both the car and the big rig on fire. Lopez suffered major burns and was taken to an area hospital where he is said to be in critical condition.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family of Richard Jeffrey for their tragic loss. My heart also goes out to Eduardo Lopez, the driver of the truck, who has suffered severe burn injuries in this horrific car-truck crash. I wish Lopez the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. Please keep the victims and their families in your prayers.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2007 truck accident statistics, there were 361 fatal big rig accidents in California and 3,737 injury accidents involving large trucks in California.
It’s not clear, based on this newspaper report, how or why Richard Jeffrey lost control of his car. The article also does not state that Jeffrey was distracted or fell asleep at the wheel or had been speeding. One possibility is that a mechanical problem or a motor vehicle defect caused Jeffrey to lose control and crash into the truck.
Jeffrey’s family and Eduardo Lopez, the injured truck driver, would be well advised to retain the services of experienced California personal injury attorneys to get more information about their legal rights and options. Depending on who or what was responsible for this fatal car crash, Jeffrey’s family and Lopez would be able to receive compensation for their personal injuries and loss.