Horrible crash in Lakewood CO, I70 closed both directions. 12 vehicles 4 semi huge fire

EB Vail and EB Eisenhower aren't nearly as steep as the other way (WB). down one gear and letting her ride or even using some service brake, it's totally doable (less the one part between silver plume and georgetown, 2 miles at 6% downgrade that one has lots of warning and a 45mph truck speed limit) but then you come out and it's flat for like a mile until slowly dropping down the canyon towards the ports and Idaho Springs. the other way (WB) is very steep downhill and has truck speed limits (35 for eisenhower and 45 for Vail). Mr Vernon canyon (aka Gennesee Hill) (the last hill as you come into Denver) EB and WB is mighty steep. 6% for 5+ miles and more after that.

 

and they want to lower the CDL age....

 

What would Phantom 309 of done?

 

Woulda whipped through there so fast there wouldn't be enough time to have an accident.

 

I made the thought a page ago (my pages equal 10 etc) that it's possible he was just running it out on each downhill since Steamboat, tunnel etc.

Pointing downhill and let her rip was what got me into trouble in Western Maryland that day. Such hubris. The thermal buildup on the first two passes failed to cool sufficient on the third and over, with two more to go before you can relax and run the Jane Lew WVa easy enough for Hurricane.

I am not going to contest the self preservation that desire not to slam another big truck (Which I think was the mattress truck, nice and soft /sarcasm...) but also if your mind is right, surely you don't want to hurt other people. But no. This one swerved left into a horde of people. So. Vehicular Homicide times 4 counts.

Closing the eyes I think is something I wont argue. It's a form of cowardice if you are about to exit this mortal world. I wont argue that.

Some of you said you would absolutely run off the cliff before you hit anyone, I am of the same mind. I think this mindset is just part of being a trucker and if things were that bad long since saving oh well, it's been a good run. I'll not kill people on my way out if I can help it. (I have aimed semis at people before, with sufficient cause after under threat taken out of context when it's either a laser pen joke among children or some other really stupid stuff.)

One poster said we can argue until the cows come home. That's true. I should just stop it. It's the language problem that is the root of all this. I refuse to accept that 4 people die and 6 badly hurt either trauma, burns or both etc because this galoot does not savvy good plain American English. I should not throw labels either. To be plain in western terms.

I don't know what else to think. Oh a idea of hacking trucks? Its a load of lumber. It would be such a stretch to think you can turn big rigs into a form of rolling terrorist death on all the mountains in America. Makes for a good lunch counter story or some kind of B grade bad movie plot. Cars have been hacked before. I recall a little tidbit among engineering notes from not too long ago. A terrorist sitting in the cave with his computer would imagine such at hink. Maybe a propane tanker versus a nice populated town at a parade or something.

I think back to Bethlehem PA and that one was a true run away vs a T intersection by a River downgrade to that light. You have to stop or in the water you go and wont make it. Either blunt trauma death on the rocks or drown or both. The springs stopped my truck at the light and that's about all they could do with the damage on the pads faded from heat, glassing the drums and so on. So one poster's idea that the spring brakes have limitations is fruitful ive had a taste of that. Bethlehem was a tough rolling mountain town and I pushed that container load too hot. It was also heavy for Europe export, about 100K that day.

I don't know what kind of punishment this kid is going to get because Bleeding Liberals don't understand the death penalty or have it there. He's a good kid they will say, he made a bad whoopsie they say and out of the jail inside of 10 years free as a bird. And young enough to maybe try to return to trucking after that period.

It will probably be 10 years after this week and he will return to the possibility for doing more trucking.

States

Major Violations

Causing a fatality through the negligent operation of a CMV, including but not limited to the crimes of motor vehicle manslaughter, homicide by motor vehicle and negligent homicide.

Disqualification for Major Offenses

The first violation for a major violation, in a CMV or a non-CMV, results in a 1-year disqualification or a 3-year disqualification if transporting hazardous materials required to be placarded. The second violation for a major violation, in a CMV or a non-CMV, results in a lifetime disqualification. The driver may be eligible for reinstatement under certain conditions after 10 years.

Disqualification for Serious Traffic Violations

The first violation for a serious violation does not result in a disqualification. A second serious violation within 3 years, results in a 60-day disqualification, and a third serious violation within 3 years, results in a 120-day disqualification. Serious disqualifications must be served consecutively. All serious violations in a CMV are included. Serious violations in a non-CMV must not be included, unless it results in the revocation, cancellation, or suspension of the CDL holder's license or non-CMV driving privileges.

There is one big problem, the elephant inside the room.

Hes apparently a legal green card holder. After killing people inside America on record the Immigration would bundle him into a plane or bus and ship him back to wherever he was born outside of the USA permanently.

I simply don't know enough about how we handle immigrants who kill people in America before they are a actual citizen. If Mexico had him show up, he probably can get their Class A and get right to work in a big rig. Nothing in America would matter if he kept his mouth shut talking to a Mexican employer.

 

Mountain school.

White Bird Pass 7 and 7 all up.



This one I shared before. Trainee has a little bit too much focus on the big bad downhill and a little trouble. However trainer with encouragement managed to hold it together.

 

But there's no indication his brakes were smoked. You get brakes hot enough that they are completely ineffective, you're going to have one hell of a smoke trail behind you. In the video up by the runaway ramp, it doesn't appear he even hit the brakes ( no brake lights.) There's nothing but dust when he blows by the stopped traffic in the other vid, when there should have been plenty of smoke.

Is it possible he had a brake system failure, where the brakes weren't applying? Sure. And he should have taken the runaway ramp in that scenario.

I also wonder if he reads any English. That is still the law, although we seem to have gotten too PC for it to be enforced anymore. I can't imagine anyone falling off that hill that fast if they knew what was coming.

I've seen people in multiple places say that it's just an accident, and he shouldn't be charged. While this old hand ponders if a murder charge isn't justified.

 

Deleted. Sorry.

 

I don't know if my old school still does it, but my mountain training involved going West on I-70, then over US 6 to Silverthorne. Then East on I-70 to Denver. It was a supervised drive, but no instructions or intervention unless you start drifting into real trouble. This was third week into the program. My biggest challenge was getting UP I-70 with any sort of speed. It was a long slow chug with an instructor who found my chagrin mighty funny.

 

I have seen no one say he shouldn't be charged, and do belive he has been charged with several counts of manslaughter, which I would rather see than murder.