Trucker in Indiana crash that left 3 dead

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  • SEIndSAM

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    https://www.foxnews.com/us/indiana-interstate-crash-semi-truck-backup-65-boone-county

    Trucker in Indiana crash that left 3 dead, 14 hurt looked to set coffee mug down, plowed into traffic: police


    Three people were killed and over a dozen taken to area hospitals after a semi-truck plowed into slowing traffic on an interstate in Indiana on Sunday after the rig's driver glanced down to set his coffee mug down, according to officials.
    The Boone County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened shortly after 11 a.m. on the northbound lanes of Interstate 65 in Whitestown, located northwest of Indianapolis. Officials said the "major" crash involved the semi-truck and eight other vehicles.
    “A sad day for two Boone County families. The loss of two young women and a one-year-old child," Boone County Sheriff Mike Nielsen said in a statement. "Distracted driving or driver inattention is a major cause of many accidents on our public roadways. In this case, we believe it was a contributing factor in this fatal crash."
    PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE CRASH INVOLVING TOUR BUS, SEMI-TRUCKS LEAVES MULTIPLE DEAD; HIGHWAY CLOSED
    Officials said the semi-truck driver, 34-year-old Mathew Lewis Small of Grandville, Mich., told authorities he was headed northbound on I-65 and "looked to set his coffee mug down" when he ran into slowing traffic.

    IndyCrash1.jpg

    The crash happened on the northbound lanes of Interstate 65 around 11 a.m. on Sunday. (Zionsville Fire Department)


    "It appears Mr. Small collided with all 8 vehicles as he plowed through the back-up," the sheriff's office said.
    Witnesses told first responders that a fire started after the crash when a vehicle was pinned up against the guardrail by the semi-truck. Three people inside the vehicle that caught fire were pronounced dead at the scene. They were identified as 21-year-old Mariah Tomey, 1-year-old Hadley Tomey, and 19-year-old Kaylee Kirk, all of Lebanon, Ind.
    Another vehicle was pushed over the guardrail and flipped onto its driver's side. Two people inside that vehicle had to be extracted.
    NJ TRANSIT TRAIN SLAMS INTO CAR ON TRACKS SOUTHWEST OF NEWARK, KILLING DRIVER AND PASSENGER
    The sheriff's office said a total of 13 patients were transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital and another was taken to Riley Children's Hospital. None of their injuries appear to be life-threatening.

    IndyCrash2.jpg

    Mathew Lewis Small, 34, of Michigan, was charged with three counts of reckless homicide after the deadly crash. (Boone County Sheriff's Office)


    Officials said that six additional vehicles sustained serious damage in the crash, which blocked all northbound lanes of the highway. The interstate was closed for about four hours as a result of the investigation, FOX59 reported.
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    After the investigation, Small was charged with three counts of reckless homicide and booked into the Boone County Jail.
    "The Boone County Sheriff’s Office feels strongly that those that cause death on our public roadways, because of driver inattention, should be held accountable," Nielsen said in a statement. "Please pay attention to your driving when operating a motor vehicle. Give yourself plenty of room to have a way out, put down your phone or other objects, DO NOT drive distracted or impaired! Keep these families in your thoughts and prayers."
     

    Bigtanker

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    This sucks for all involved. As a driver myself, I want to really tear into this driver. Looking down for a coffee mug doesn't cause this. If you're driving only 2 or 3 seconds ahead of your bumper, something is really wrong. I'm sure there was more to the story.

    I will say concentrating 100% on your driving 100% of the time, day after day after day for years is tough. We all have times when your mind drifts and your full attention isn't where it needs to be. But we are professional drivers and safety is the #1 priority. You screw up, it's not a 4,000 pound car that causes the damage. It's a 60,000-80,000 pounds.
     
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    bwframe

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    This sucks for all involved. As a driver myself, I want to really tear into this driver. Looking down for a coffee mug doesn't cause this. If you're driving only 2 or 3 seconds ahead of your bumper, something is really wrong. I'm sure there was more to the story.

    I will say concentrating 100% on your driving 100% of the time, day after day after day for years is tough. We all have times when your mind drifts and your full attention isn't where it needs to be. But we are professional drivers and safety is the #1 priority. You screw up, it's not a 4,000 pound car that causes the damage. It's a 60,000-80,000 ponuds.

    Awful glad to hear a professional like yourself confirm my thoughts. There have been an inordinate number of really bad accidents in recent years from trucks just plowing into stopped traffic.

    This is not something that happens from taking your eyes off the road momentarily. Stopped traffic is not something anyone gets to miss, much less professionals.
     

    DCR

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    I am familiar with this area. Traffic is merging from I-865 from the right, traffic is trying to get to the right to exit at Z-ville. It's not a mess, but I wouldn't dream of holding a coffee mug in that spot, or putting one down. His story may be true, but I don't believe it. I'm sick and tired of the coffee cup excuse. These are people who are not paying attention.
     

    jkaetz

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    ...But we are professional drivers and safety is the #1 priority...
    Sadly I'm not sure that you're a member of the majority on today's roadways.

    I am familiar with this area. Traffic is merging from I-865 from the right, traffic is trying to get to the right to exit at Z-ville. It's not a mess, but I wouldn't dream of holding a coffee mug in that spot, or putting one down. His story may be true, but I don't believe it. I'm sick and tired of the coffee cup excuse. These are people who are not paying attention.
    With three counts of reckless homicide I don't believe the coffee mug excuse did much for him. To be honest I'm not sure any excuse would have helped him. As BT said, he wasn't driving far enough ahead if he didn't see the traffic slowing down. Didn't matter what his distraction was at that point, he'd already made a fatal mistake.
     

    DCR

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    With three counts of reckless homicide I don't believe the coffee mug excuse did much for him. To be honest I'm not sure any excuse would have helped him. As BT said, he wasn't driving far enough ahead if he didn't see the traffic slowing down. Didn't matter what his distraction was at that point, he'd already made a fatal mistake.
    Exactly right! Far too many people driving these days looking no further than 10' in front of their bumper.

    I was stopped on I-75 for an accident a couple years ago in FL. All of a sudden a car whizzes by me doing 40 in the grass median. I look in my side mirror and there is a person rolling down the road.
     

    DCR

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    And another thing. I NEVER reach for anything in my car unless the road is straight and there's no one within 75 yards of me. Wife says, "yeah, how come professional drivers don't know this?"
     
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