77-Year-Old Trucker Sued for Deaths in 2009 Truck Accident that Killed 10 Pleads Guilty to Negligent Homicide
Donald L. Creed, a 77-year-old truck driver, has pleaded guilty to 10 misdemeanor counts of negligent homicide for accidentally killing 10 people during a June 2009 tractor-trailer crash. He has been sentenced to one year probation for each count and must spend 30 days in jail. He also will no longer be allowed to have a commercial driver’s license and must use an electronic home monitoring system during the first year of probation. Meantime, the families of the victims are suing Creed for wrongful death.
According to police, on June 26, 2009 on I-44, Creed slammed his semi-trailer, which he was driving for Associated Wholesale Grocers, into a number of motor vehicles that were stopped for another traffic. Rescuers spent hours trying to free the victims from the mangled wreckage.
Killed in the semi-truck crash were 63-year-old Earlene Hooks, 69-year-old Oral Hooks, 42-year-old Antonio Hooks, 41-year-old Dione Hooks, Ernestia Reyes, her husband 39-year-old Ricardo Reyes, 35-year-old Shelby Hayes, her husband, 38-year-old Randall Hayes, their 7-year-old son Ethan Hayes, and her 55-year-old mother Cynthia Olson. The Reyes’ 12-year-old daughter Andrea suffered injuries.
Investigators have said that there is no evidence to indicate that the trucker tired to avoid striking the vehicles or even attempted to step on the brakes. Highway police have said that driver inattention on Creed’s part caused the semi-truck crash.
Chicago Truck Accident Victims
Losing even one family member in any kind of Chicago, Illinois truck accident is devastating. To lose more than one loved one is unimaginably life shattering. Unfortunately, trucker negligence, inexperience, inattention, carelessness, and recklessness continue to claim lives.
Truck driver guilty in crash that killed 10, Associated Press/Kansas City, August 2, 2010
Truck Driver Pleads Guilty to 10 Misdemeanor Counts for Deadly Turnpike Crash, News9.com, August 2, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Distracted Driving, Cyber Drive Illinois
Distracted Driving, NHTSA
