Truck crash in Maine killed two people

Today's update on this terrible crash in March:

“WASHINGTON, Maine — The driver of a flatbed truck who crashed into oncoming traffic in March, killing two people, has been arrested, charged with two counts of manslaughter.

Randall Weddle, 53, with a last known address of Greenville, Tennessee, was arrested Friday and taken into custody by the Russell County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, according to Knox County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tim Carroll. Police say the truck driver was under the influence of alcohol when the crash occurred.”



“Weddle is charged with two counts of Class A manslaughter and two counts of Class B aggravated operating under the influence. The chief deputy said more charges against him are likely as the investigation continues.

The charges come as a result of the investigation into the double fatal crash involving four passenger vehicles and a tractor-trailer truck loaded with lumber on Route 17 in Washington on March 18.”

Full story at http://bangordailynews.com/2016/05/...er-in-fatal-maine-crash-arrested-in-virginia/
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Wow, can you believe how stupid that driver was?

 

Wow, they’ve added a LOT of new details to the news story about this horrible crash…

“The affidavit states that Weddle’s blood-alcohol level was 0.09 when a blood sample was taken from him by an emergency medical services worker at the scene of the crash on Route 17 by the intersection of the Fitch Road. A sample taken more than an hour later at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston had his blood alcohol level at 0.073. The driver also had hydrocodone in his system, according to the police report.

Under Maine law, a person is considered operating under the influence if the blood alcohol level is at 0.08 or greater. Knox County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tim Carroll said the level for a commercial driver operating a commercial vehicle is 0.04 in Maine.

Both an emergency medical worker and a deputy detected an odor of intoxicants on Weddle’s breath at the scene of the crash, according to the affidavit.

Weddle told investigators at the hospital that he had not been feeling well and had taken a drug called Lortab, which contains hydrocodone. Weddle said he had come from Tennessee and made a delivery in Massachusetts before coming to Maine to pick up lumber in Searsmont before heading back to Tennessee to deliver the load.

Weddle was driving a truck registered to Rick Mullenix trucking from Kingsforth, Tennessee, Carroll said. Mullenix could not be reached for comment Monday.

Weddle’s truck had been traveling 81 mph shortly before the crash and was operating at 73 mph when the crash occurred, according to the affidavit. That information was obtained from data downloaded from the engine control module, according to the affidavit.”



Full article at http://bangordailynews.com/2016/05/...-in-crash-that-killed-two-was-drunk-speeding/

 

"Trucking firm whose driver was charged with manslaughter has troubling safety record"

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2016/05/...ith-manslaughter-has-troubling-safety-record/

It's nice to see some old fashioned investigative reporting on this case, because it certainly looks like it would make for a perfect example of what a truck driver should never do.

 

Well said, Air Breeze, as I too think it's a very sad example of the bad direction that several aspects of our country seem to be headed... and it's likely to get worse if Hillary gets elected.

God help our USA!

 

Today's local newspaper has an update about this crash:

Truck driver involved in fatal Washington crash indicted

"A Tennessee trucker accused of speeding and driving drunk has been indicted on manslaughter charges in connection with the deaths of two people killed in a March crash.

Randall Junior Weddle, 54, of Greeneville, Tennessee, was indicted on 15 counts by a grand jury that met this week in Knox County Unified Court. The most serious charges in the indictment released Friday are two counts of manslaughter related to the March 18 crash in Washington, which claimed the lives of Christina Torres-York, 45, of Warren and Paul Fowles, 74, of Owls Head.

Weddle also was indicted on three counts of aggravated operating under the influence, two counts of driving to endanger and eight counts of various trucking rule violations.

Weddle has been held at the Knox County Jail in Rockland since he was brought to Maine following his arrest in Virginia last month. Bail is set at $100,000 cash.

The maximum possible sentence for manslaughter is 30 years in prison.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on June 22."

More at http://bangordailynews.com/2016/06/...-involved-in-fatal-washington-crash-indicted/
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BTW, the company he was driving for is R & E Logistics Inc. of Chuckey, Tennessee -- DOT # 942198
You should take a minute and review their current SMR by DOT posted at: https://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS/Carrier/942198/CompleteProfile.aspx

Wow... can you believe their record?

IMO, this guy should rot in jail for the rest of his life... and perhaps that company he was driving for might need to get daily inspections by DOT or even be forced to close down.

God bless the families and friends of the people he killed in this crash.

 

Truck driver pleads not guilty to manslaughter in deaths of motorists


“ROCKLAND, Maine — A Tennessee trucker accused of speeding and driving drunk has pleaded not guilty to 15 counts, including manslaughter, in connection with the deaths of two people killed in a March crash in Washington.

Randall Junior Weddle, 54, of Greeneville, Tennessee, said nothing other than “not guilty” 15 times during a brief hearing held Wednesday before Justice William Stokes in Knox County Unified Court. Weddle remains held at the Knox County Jail in Rockland in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.”

FMI: http://bangordailynews.com/2016/06/...slaughter-in-deaths-of-motorists/?ref=polbeat

Let's hope this guy rots in prison for the rest of his life... IMO, he deserves that after what he did while driving.

 

UPDATE:
June 24, 2016

Trucker accused in fatal Maine crash barred from commercial interstate driving

“WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal agency has ruled that a Tennessee truck driver involved in a March crash in Maine that killed two motorists is an “imminent threat to public safety.”

The declaration by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration about Randall J. Weddle, 54, means he is barred from operating any commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce.”

“Weddle also had three prior OUI convictions.

When asked whether the Tennessee trucking company would face any penalties, DeBruyne declined to comment further except to confirm the investigation is ongoing.”

More facts at http://bangordailynews.com/2016/06/...m-commercial-interstate-driving/?ref=comments