How does this impact the Trucking World?

Prosecutors charged him with vehicular homicide and assault by auto in the Saturday pileup that killed comedian James McNair and injured Morgan and three others in the limo bus on the New Jersey Turnpike.

"We enter a not guilty plea across the board obviously -- the fatality and the remaining counts of assault by auto," defense lawyer said.

Shortly after the accident on the New Jersey Turnpike, Roper, who drives a Walmart truck, posted $50,000 bond and was released the same night. The bail was kept the same.

In the criminal complaint, police said Roper had been awake for more than 24 hours at the time of the crash. He failed to notice traffic slowing in front of him and hit Morgan's bus despite trying to swerve out of the way, according to authorities.

It's unclear how they determined the trucker was sleep-deprived.

Walmart said it believed Roper was operating within federal rest guidelines but said it would take full responsibility if the investigation shows its truck was to blame. Federal law mandates drivers work no more than 14 hours for any shift -- 11 of those driving.

"The details are the subject of the ongoing investigation and we are cooperating fully with the appropriate law enforcement agencies," said Brooke Buchanan, a spokeswoman for Walmart.

Under New Jersey law, a driver can be convicted if there's proof he had been without sleep for 24 hours when the accident occurred.

 

The bail was posted by an undisclosed party. Walmart issued a statement saying that, "If it is found that it was a truck issue, they will assume all responsibility." Translation. ..... check book open and ready.