California highway truck accident kills 1 injures 2

An pre-dawn truck accident on Highway 41 near Fresno began when a fuel tanker truck hit the back of a truck hauling live poultry. The poultry truck was pulled over on the northbound side of the highway, according to the California Highway Patrol, but the reason for the stoppage was not immediately apparent.

The 39-year-old male driver of the poultry truck was outside the vehicle when the tanker truck hit. The accident resulted in the man being hit by the tanker truck and then dragged while pinned under a tire. The wreck then snowballed when a pickup truck and a second poultry truck also carrying livestock collided with the vehicles.

Community Regional Medical Center confirmed the death of the man who had been dragged under a tire. The crash also inflicted major injuries on the fuel tanker driver, a man from Visalia, California. Minor injuries were suffered by the Riverdale man driving the pickup truck while the driver of the second poultry truck remained unharmed. The highway patrol suspects fog might have played a role in the accident.

Multiple vehicle accidents like this one highlight roadway dangers experienced by motorists, especially truck drivers. Sometimes, a driver mistake or an equipment failure contributes to these fatal accidents. Common examples of this are truck driver fatigue or poorly maintained brakes. A person injured in a similar situation might have cause to pursue a personal injury lawsuit to recover medical expenses and lost income if a driver or trucking company did something negligent. An attorney might be able to help an injured person assess an accident investigation and identify potential evidence of negligence. Red flags like improper tie-downs or an unqualified driver are examples of possibly negligent contributors to an accident.