Morning press conference states driver of the semi carrying lumber arrested and charged with vehicular homicide:

Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxa9gxr5aPs

Does Colorado differentiate between vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter? Seems odd since they say at the 7:30 mark that no evidence of it being intentional.

Hot fire as in the last minute they state that aluminum melted (melting point stated was 1200) but steel did not (melting point stated was 2500).

So, brake failure? What do the forumites think is a possible cause?

I'm seeing reports that the truck driver is being charged with multiple counts of vehicular manslaughter. As of now though, the cause of the truck crashing is not known. It seems to me to be premature to charge him, but I'm not in the know on how these things usually go.

The sheriff also commented that even if a mechanical failure was in play, manslaughter charges would be appropriate. Hmmm...

ETA: Thanks, tator. Not manslaughter then.

quote:

The sheriff also commented that even if a mechanical failure was in play, manslaughter charges would be appropriate. Hmmm...

How so? I mean I get it if there is proof that some form of preventative maintenance wasn’t done or the driver ignored some kind of known issue but if a random mechanical failure is proven to have occurred how can this be blamed on the driver. No different then having road debris nuke a couple tires or something. I guess if they clocked him over the speed limit??

I am not minimizing the loss of life and loved ones etc. just don’t understand how blame can be placed if truely a random accidental occurance.

Truck driving in the mountains is a skill. Descending out of the mountains onto the plains involves gearing down and reduced speed. Riding the brakes while in descent is only done by those who have no trucking skills and experience. They should not be driving a truck.
I have seen trucks coming out of the mountains with flames coming from the brakes. Many times have I seen much smoke coming from the brakes of trucks. Passenger cars also will be uncontrollable because of overheated brakes.
You gear down. You do not ride the brakes.
That is the reason for the vehicular manslaughter charge for the truck driver. He is supposed to know better and not be a public hazard.

quote:

Originally posted by arlen:

I saw the plume of smoke while on my way home from Boulder. It was quite a large fire.
The place where the crash took place is after a very long, steep descent on I-70 out of the Rocky Mountains onto the plains where the metroplex is situated. I would guess that the truck's brakes were overheated and not effective in slowing the truck down.

Wow! I lived in that area, about 35 years ago, and I was a fairly frequent traveler on that stretch of I-70.

I remember that there were quite a few runaway truck lanes, off on the right shoulder, where a vehicle with a brake failure could be brought to a stop.

quote:

Originally posted by Rob Decker:
So, brake failure? What do the forumites think is a possible cause?

My guess is texting.

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Originally posted by arfmel:

quote:

Originally posted by Rob Decker:
So, brake failure? What do the forumites think is a possible cause?

My guess is texting.

Texting was my second guess. 20:1 they are holding him till the drug tests come back.

I was listening to a local news radio station at the time of the crash. The crash occurred during the afternoon rush hour traffic and there was a radio station traffic reporter in a helo that was covering the traffic back-up from the first crash (the school bus crash) when the second crash occurred.

He didn't see the initial impact but turned his head to see the multiple explosions following the crash.

Witnesses and survivors reported being blasted with a dust cloud as well as feeling the pressure and heat from the explosions.

A woman who was in the middle of that crash who saw the tractor trailer barreling at her in her rear view mirror was interviewed this morning. She survived unscathed in her little Hyundai. She was badly shaken but grateful to be alive. I'm not certain but she made a comment that "cars can be replaced" so I think her car survived the initial crash but was later destroyed in the multiple fires.

Some dude was live streaming at the time the semi loaded with lumber went by him. it happens at the 8:30 mark.



That stretch of I70 is steep a few miles west of where the accident took place. It is flat for a few miles well before that crash site, Denver West Blvd. Even if he lost his brakes, I don't see how he was still going that fast that far East.

They've released the driver's name - Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 23. What a horrific scene!

https://www.foxnews.com/us/mul...-on-colorado-freeway

He's from Texas.

quote:

He's from Texas.

But, is he really?

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:

quote:

He's from Texas.

But, is he really?

Well, the media said he was...

The crash tally was updated to 24 vehicles, 4 semi trucks, with 4 fatalities. I haven't heard an injury count yet.

I don't know about anyone else, but if that were me in an out of control rig, I'd have made an attempt to dodge any traffic and when that failed, hit the ditch. No sense taking anyone else with you...unless you want to that is (not making any assumptions here.)

And, I agree with others here 1lowlife, your handle is appropriate. If memory serves, you've also been admonished in the past by the admins for your hard on towards flashguy. I'd probably cool it and find something else to do for a few days.

Someone earlier mentioned runaway truck ramps. He most likely passed a runaway truck ramp just a few miles west of the crash site (he was headed east). I am going from memory here, but I think I am correct.

In the picture below, Site 1 is the last runaway truck ramp as you head into the Denver area (city of Lakewood). Site 2 is the location of the crash. If I had to guess, i'd say it's roughly 3 - 4 miles between site 1 and 2.

If he knows his brakes are failed, why not ditch it before he gets into traffic. Find your nearest ditch or guardrail. When he buzzed that live-streaming guy, he was doing 50+ mph.

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:

quote:

He's from Texas.

But, is he really?

He’s from Cuba, actually.

https://www.click2houston.com/...adly-colorado-pileup

From the above linked article:

“Aguilera's brother, Daniel, said Aguilera is Cuban and is a permanent resident of the United States.

Daniel, also a truck driver, spoke to his brother after the crash and Aguilera told him his brakes failed.”

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:

quote:

He's from Texas.

But, is he really?

He’s from Cuba, actually.

https://www.click2houston.com/...adly-colorado-pileup

From the above linked article:

“Aguilera's brother, Daniel, said Aguilera is Cuban and is a permanent resident of the United States.

Daniel, also a truck driver, spoke to his brother after the crash and Aguilera told him his brakes failed.”

The article says where in the United States he lives - Houston, TX. Houston is flat and the largest elevation change is the bridge over the Houston ship channel. I wonder how much experience he had driving in the mountains?