Driver gets 110 years for Colorado accident

One thing for sure, you would not be sentenced to 110 years in prison.

 

Maybe the DOT should add a mountain endorsement? At least so drivers have to study to pass a test and are familiar with the dangers of mountain driving and how to go down a hill.

 

You guys mention something that may explain his lack of maturity in rationally handling this situation. He might not be mentally competent to handle the job in the first place.

I don't consider myself to be super trucker, but with very little mountain training (90 days), I was turned loose to drive on my own. I made it up and down every hill in all 48 Continental US States. That being said I was trained by some veteran drivers, that wouldn't turn you loose until you proved that you could do the job. I've seen this man I speak of refuse to train a few drivers after a week on the truck, and the company let them go.

I have cut a few drivers loose as well, simply because I didn't think they were cut out to be a driver. One driver that I never developed confidence in, was hired by a company that I used to work for, against my recommendation. Two weeks after being on the truck he claimed that he had a steer tire blow out and drove the truck into the woods. I still don't believe his story, as I went and got the cars off his trailer at the wrecker yard. I've blown the right front with a heavy car on the head rack, and held a T600 on the road without to much trouble. So I know what it's like to blow a steer tire, at least on a straight road. If in a curve and the outside tire, that might get pretty dicey. The point that I'm trying to make, is that when I started driving there were very few truck driving schools if any. Most drivers learned how to drive from an experienced driver that the company trusted, to take them and evaluate them for a week or two, and make a determination on whether or not the company should hire them. Now we have students that are teaching people that literally have never been on a truck. Just as someone said before, " Most of the experienced drivers have left the industry, and their children won't be following in their footsteps." The road is simply an awful place to try and make a living these days.

The fact that this guy blew past multiple runaway ramps, had numerous opportunities to stop. From what I understand he actually did stop and access the situation one time before proceeding down the mountain. Finally he had ample opportunity to run off the road, and void killing those people, and ultimately involved 24-27 vehicles because of his lack of responsibility to proceed safely down the highway.

 

He was guilty as charged but do you think he deserved a sentence like that?

 

Yeah He testified he stopped to check his brakes but who knows if that’s true. And if he did, I have zero confidence that he knew what he was looking for anyway. Would’nt be suprised to know the brakes were out if adjustment.....Jakes not working properly....valve lash a mile out of whack

 

Let’s look at this other case here… a famous person was handed a firearm (trucker handed a truck)
He did not check to see if it was loaded (didn’t have experience) he shot and killed a crew member on the set (barreled down a mountain and instead of checking his #### up killed 4 people… not 1 but 4…)

How many years do you think this famous person will get?… (#### sure not 110 years and more than likely won’t even be charged and you know he is lying his arse off about not even touching the trigger. Someone else will be blamed for the persons death because he just acts… there are way more people responsible for those 4 people’s death than just the driver. But the driver #### sure should have known better and said take this job and shove it. Easier said than done for some people. He held a lic. To do a job that includes driving a 80k missile. He should have #### it down.

Now I’ve watched the videos out there about this incident. Dude should have taken himself out way up the hill and for that he is a complete #### head. He needs to pay the price. I don’t have a ton of driving experience on hills and I #### sure would not take that load on that route for any amount of money or job. Anyone who has driven a heavy truck for one day on any type of hill situation knows #### well better not to do that.

I’ve personally built myself up on mountain driving over the last year. I know exactly what my truck feels like at near gross on 6+% grade. I just unloaded in Denver Monday morning. I got paid plenty enough to drive the hell out of there vs driving anything across the I-70 corridor leaving that area because it all pays like crap. Nothing coming out of I-70 is worth it this time of year unless you have a hook up. Not worth the possible chains, not worth the grades etc.

I am not sure if 110 year is going to bring anyone back. I would love to hear more of the details… what was said in phone calls or text messages from this driver to his owner. How much experience does this guy really have? I would #### sure my wife bury me than watch me barrel into a pile of cars of innocent people at the bottom of a hill.

 

I still don’t understand how he didn’t think to go slow? Like why wasn’t he nervous or scared given the circumstances and driving extra cautious?

I had to drive in thick fog a few weeks ago on 17 heading towards Orlando; speed limit is 65 I was going 45 given the road conditions. He should of felt scared like I did in the fog, and created an extra large “safety buffer”.

that being said I’m a southern boy I know nothing of snow and mountains.

 

IMHO, Baldwin is guilty of negligent homicide.

So is the Driver of the Runaway Truck.

 

Just because there is one miscarriage of justice, doesn't mean there should never be justice anywhere.....