Just in case you needed another reminder to always properly secure your load, the verdict has come back on a case from 2009 where a driver was charged with two counts of second-degree involuntary manslaughter when the bulldozer he was carrying on his flatbed fell off the side and killed two women who were driving their vehicle in the opposite direction.
27-year-old driver Adam L. Steinmann was found guilty on both charges, and also of driving with a suspended license. According to the indictment, Steinmann was driving his truck “at an excessive speed around a curve with an improperly secured tractor… When he went around the curve, there were cautionary signs for 30 miles per hour, and an expert testified the minimum speed [Steinmann was traveling] would have been 42 mph,”
Meg Eveland, assistant prosecuting attorney for St. Charles County, said that the 42,000-pound bulldozer Steinmann was hauling was not held in place by any chains or straps, but was only secured by two binders. She said the total support weight of the two binders was around 14,000 pounds. An expert testified at the trial that the total weight should have been at least half the weight of the item being secured (around 21,000 pounds). Not only was the weight insufficient, but the binders being used were sub-par. One binder had been broken and welded back together, and the binder hooks were different sizes.
The bulldozer came off of the trailer where the curve in the road was tightest and crushed the car that 63-year-old Judith Ulery, and her 86-year-old mother, Elsie Sherman, were driving. Both were removed from the scene, but later died from their injuries.
Steinmann is not the only one with litigation against him. A civil suit is pending against Steinmann and his father, Adam Steinmann who helped him secure the load. The suit also names their company, Steinmann and Sons Grading, Inc; Lamke Trenching & Excavating Inc.; and Lester J. Lamke, owner of the bulldozer.
So remember, when you take a load you think might be unsafe, or skimp on the pre-trip inspection, it’s not just you that you should be worried about. Always properly secure your load!
Joe Santoro says
I’am old school 42000 lbs he should of had 4 chains at 10000 apiece, and using broke or faulty binders is just plain foolish.
Chuck Baines says
While I see this kind of stupidity on the road every now and then, almost all truck drivers are very conscious of safety for the public first and then themselves. Truck drivers, however, are always treated as “guilty until proven innocent” by the police and alot of the public, even though they may have done nothing wrong. Guys like this (and the others I see out there who get away with it) just make the rest of us look bad.
T Hooker says
1. No license, his father should take the blame, as to the rest, enough said he guilty.
dmfletcher says
It is an insult to the rest of us to call him a driver. Thats all I have to say about him.
Richard J Doherty says
This fool should spend the rest of his life in prison. He was driving a commercial vehicle with a suspended license. I’m sick and tired of all the stupid idiots that are driving truck these days. The drive worse than fourwheelers. I don’t know how these idiots are getting jobs driving trucks, they have no skills or brains. I hate stupid unprofessional truck drivers! Trucking companies need to raise their standards when hiring drivers!
George Dorman says
I hope he does time
Dan P says
Load securement, their are NO short cuts. Minimum requirements say you should have a minimum of a binder on all 4 corners of a piece of equipment. If you know what your doing it is common and acceptable to use only binders hooked to a track pad and a trailer rail, stake pocket, or pull out tiedown. This young man screwed up by the numbers though, only two binders, probably only on one end or one side of the equipment, TOTALLY in-acceptable.
John Ferrell says
“Ignorance” is defined as one NOT knowing, and obviously he had been in a truck before… so if he should have a title… it would have to be “HOMICIDAL MANIAC” even stupid does not apply, I feel each executive of that company should receive the same sentence the boy gets….. This nation is becomming increasingly ignorant of the needs of others, If this company had followed those needs this storey would never have happened… I personally would rather see him executed so he NEVER has the opportunity to sit behind ANY wheel again
Maxx Traxx says
I was construction, included being the mechanic for the company. I made double sure every driver and operator would tie down every loaded hunk of iron safely by talking the bosses language, the language of money. believe me, with the yahoos he was hiring, he took it to heart and busted chops, heads and butts when things werent up to safe standards. every load should be tied to the deck so you can invert the trailer, shake it, and it won’t even leave the deck. nothing else is safe in my book.
CWC says
At my previos job the driver didnt load or bind the equipment coming off the yard i did and when i binded it down i used 4 3/8” chains and snap binders and put at least 90 degrees on each chain. the driver constantly complained that they were too tight even though sometimes i would go with him and unbind it myself with no trouble. then when he would bind in the field by the time he got back at least 1 chain was loose some times all of them.
J D says
This boy (I say boy, b/c he’s never been a man and taken any responsibility for this accident) killed my great grandmother and great aunt in this tragedy. Do you know he has never shown any remorse, was snickering at the court hearing, and said that if he had to do that day all over again he’d do it the same b/c although he knows the tie down rules, his daddy taught him other ways of doing things. Its been 3 years and justice needs to be served. I’m sorry that he has given other drivers a bad name……I’m scared to death to be on the road. Please pray for my family. Thank you.