A crash caused by a detached trailer took the lives two people and resulted in a trucker being sent to jail for vehicular manslaughter, but it now appears that it may have been caused by defective truck hitches, and that the issue could be a problem for 6,000 additional trailers.
On January 24th, trucker Michael Simpson started his shift off dealing with a trailer hitch that was acting up. It took him three tries to get it latched properly. He drove a short ways, then checked it to make sure it was holding. Then, after one more check he started climbing an area the locals call “Devil’s Backbone,” his trailer came unhitched and collided with two pickups, killing both drivers.
When the accident occurred, Simpson was blamed for not properly inspecting his vehicle and was charged with vehicular manslaughter. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reached out to the manufacturer of the trailer, Fontaine, who blamed the crash on the driver for not coupling the trailer properly. Simpson was convicted and sent to jail.
Then, over the next year and a half, more and more incidents occurred where Fontaine trailers were becoming unhitched and causing accidents. So many in fact, that Fontaine changed the trailer hitch design and then said that it wanted to replace all trailer hitches that were in use for unspecified “non-safety” reasons.
It was at this point that the NHTSA launched an investigation. Critics of the NHTSA have been wondering why it took a year and a half after a fatal accident for an investigation to be called. According to Sean Kane, the president of Safety Research and Strategies, the case “sounds like… an inability to connect the dots.”
Now that the NHTSA has finally started investigating, they estimate that there may be 6,000 rigs on the road with potentially defective hitches.
There is no word on whether or not Michael Simpson’s case will be reopened.
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Source: cbsnews, mlive, houstonchronicle, wlwt
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David Dunne says
Michael Simpson is only “Small Fry” and His Imprisonment is of little Importance to “Fontaine” as long as their Reputation is intact…His release should be Immediate pending the outcome of the Investigation and if the results show a faulty Hitch He should get Himself a bloody good Lawyer…
“Fontaine” were very quick to point the Finger of blame….and the NHTSA do not come out smelling of Roses either….Shame on both…
Charlie says
What bothers me the most is, the driver did his job and still got sent to jail.
Robert says
Seems a shame that Michael is still incarcerated ! Let’s hope that He is released soon and that He is able to sue for and collect damages from All Parties !
He should have refused to pull that Trailer based on His problem getting it hooked up, but We all know that He was under the gun to get er done by The Owners of the Trucking Company and the Shipper of the load!
RickJPII says
After a conviction, the only way to release him is by court order vacating the conviction on the grounds of new exculpatory evidence that rises to the level of clear and convincing. I don’t think the matter is there yet, although I agree that it should. The smoking gun would be an internal memo, email, post-it note, or anything of the like, or a willing AND credible witness that will confirm that Fontaine knew the hitch design was flawed and that’s why it changed it. Good luck with that!
Jim says
It is not Fontaine trailers that are causing crashes, it is the Fontaine Ultra LT 5th wheel. If you have one of these on your truck, I’d recommend replacing it with another brand.
Let’s hope Fontaine Fifth Wheel president, Brian Ballard, takes Michael’s place in prison.
Ruddco says
I had a 1988 379 Peterbilt with a Fontaine 5th wheel plate. The adjuster for the jaws was inside the taper that the kingpin slides into. I had 2 different trailers come unhooked from that plate, one of those trailers made it to the ground. That plate design is bad. The cause of it not holding was grease and dirt build up on the locking mechanism. I will never own, or drive another truck with the Fontaine plate.
roadtoad says
Holland’s Simplex systems are similarly dangerous. Our company had 116 disconnects last year. While driver error played a huge role, there is a growing concern that mechanical defect also contributed.
As for the driver that was jailed for involuntary manslaughter, he should be released. The recall now introduces reasonable doubt that should exonerate him.
John mcnamara says
According to the ap he got 90 day suspended cdl and a years probation. No mention of jail time.
Infosaur says
I was just fired from an oufit not long ago for dropping a trailer. For the life of me I could swear I checked it.
But there had been another time about 3 weeks prior where the same 5th wheel wouldn’t connect, so I’m not so sure anymore.
The great thing about throwing me under the bus is that now *I* don’t have to worry if that 5th wheel really WAS broken, if the trailer falls off it’s the next driver’s problem.
rhinestone eyes says
thanks for the info and the comments – keeping it as I’ll be looking to buy a truck next year.
michael says
Wow wow wow!!!
I dropped one a couple of years ago luckily I was at the shipper and caught it on the frame.
Left the load and went to the shop. A few days later. The shop had taken it apart and replace something internal. IT WAS A FONTAINE
Someone needs to step in and let this man out of jail.
Legend says
Authorities are always quick to blame the driver. It usually results in a quick conviction and a feather in their cap. Thank God somebody finally took notice.