Eight people were hurt on Saturday when an 18-wheeler careened off State Highway 249 near Tomball, Texas, and collided with nearly a dozen other vehicles.
IHOP Sign Finally Brought Midstream Transportation Truck to a Stop
The June 9th accident occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m., at the intersection of Texas 249 south and Spring-Cypress Road.
“He came off the freeway, went down the embankment then entered the feeder, going southbound on 249,” Thomas Gilliland, Senior Deputy with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, said during a media briefing on Saturday.
The Midstream Transportation truck proceeded to crash into 11 vehicles before colliding with an IHOP sign facing the feeder road.
“I think our sign that he ran over actually helped bring him to a stop because the 18-wheeler stopped right in front of our cars,” an IHOP employee told Click2Houston.
8 Taken to Hospital, Including 2 Via Life Flight
The rig was hauling non-odorized flammable gas. Fortunately, the tank was not compromised and the fuel remained contained.
Six people were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Two others – including the driver of the 18-wheeler – were transported via Life Flight.
The truck driver and one other person were listed in critical condition.
The condition of a third person was said to be guarded, while a forth was listed as stable.
None of the injuries are considered life-threatening.
18-Wheeler Driver May Have Fallen Asleep or Blacked Out
Investigators are still trying to determine why the 18-wheeler left the highway.
There is speculation that the driver may have fallen asleep or blacked out just before the crash.
Sleep Apnea Screening Rule Nixed by Trump Administration
Saturday’s accident came nearly a year after the Trump Administration decided to scrap a regulatory proposal that would have required commercial drivers, including those who operate 18-wheelers, passenger buses, and trains, to undergo screening for sleep apnea.
Advocates for the sleep apnea screening rule believe it would have prevented deadly accidents related to driver fatigue, such as the collision between a tour bus and semi-trailer near Palm Springs, California that killed 13 people in October 2016.
The bus driver, who died in the accident, may have fallen asleep at the wheel. The investigation into the crash also found that both drivers likely suffered from undiagnosed sleep apnea.
Undiagnosed sleep apnea has also been tied to two recent New York-area commuter train crashes that killed one person and injured more than 200 others.
Our Houston Truck Accident Lawyers Have Won Record-Setting Recoveries in Cases Involving Driver Fatigue
Our Houston-based Truck Accident Lawyers have won record-setting verdicts and settlements in cases involving driver fatigue.
Most recently, for example, our Undefeated Bus Accident Lawyers negotiated a $6 million settlement on behalf of several passengers who were injured after a Greyhound bus driver fell asleep at the wheel.
Greyhound only agreed to settle the case after our attorneys obtained the first-ever court-ordered sleep study of a commercial driver in Texas. Thus, we were able to prove that the driver suffered from moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea.
The record-breaking recovery represents the largest settlement involving driver fatigue in Greyhound’s corporate history.
CLICK HERE to watch a CBS This Morning report about the case.
Contact Our Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers Today for a Free Legal Consultation at 1-888-603-3636 or CLICK HERE
Our Undefeated Truck Accident Lawyers are investigating Saturday’s multi-vehicle 18-wheeler crash near Tomball and will post an update when more information becomes available.
Having won over $1 billion on behalf of our clients — including hundreds of people who were injured or tragically killed in collisions with 18-wheelers and other large trucks — our attorneys have the resources, skills and expertise needed to ensure you and your family receive the maximum compensation possible for all of your injuries and losses.
If you or someone you love was hurt in connection with the Tomball 18-wheeler crash, call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here to send us a confidential email via our “Contact Us” form.
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