Fatigued Truck Driver Critically Wounds Actor Tracy Morgan
Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was critically injured on Saturday, June 7, 2014 when Wal-Mart truck driver Kevin Roper failed to observe slower moving traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike. Roper attempted to swerve his tractor-trailer away from the Mercedes limo-bus, but was unsuccessful.
Upon impact, the chauffeured limo bus was overturned, causing a chain reaction crash that involved 4 other vehicles. The fatal tractor trailer crash occurred around 1 a.m. Saturday morning. Morgan’s mentor and fellow comedian James Jimmy Mack’ McNair was killed at the scene. Morgan’s assistant Jeffrey Millea and comedians Ardie Fuqua and Harris Stanton sustained injuries; Fuqua and Millea remain in critical condition at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital.
Tracy Morgan sustained several injuries in the trucking accident, including a broken leg, broken femur, broken nose, and several broken ribs. Morgan underwent surgery to repair the broken bones in his leg, and remains in critical yet stable condition.
Allegations that truck driver Kevin Roper had not slept for 24 hours prior to the fatal crash began to surface shortly after the trucking accident. Roper pleaded not guilty’ to one charge of vehicular homicide and multiple counts of assault by auto, despite allegations that he was sleep-deprived.
Truck drivers are permitted to work up to 14 hours per day, with a maximum of 11 hours spent driving, according to federal safety and rest regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). Regulations also require truck drivers to have at least 10 hours between shifts for sleep.
Wal-Mart president and CEO Bill Simon stated that Wal-Mart will take full responsibility, if Roper is found guilty of the charges. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver fatigue causes over 100,000 vehicle crashes and approximately 1,550 fatalities.
Trucking Accidents at Moraitakis & Kushel, LLP
Our legal team at Moraitakis & Kushel, LLP in Atlanta, Georgia understands the complex federal regulations governing tractor-trailers in the United States. We know that tractor-trailer accidents can be devastating. Our team finds justice for families and individuals injured in tractor-trailer accidents.
Contact Moraitakis & Kushel, LLP if you or someone you love has been involved in a trucking accident. Our team thoroughly investigates the trucking company and driver to bring you the results you deserve.