A Tennessee woman asleep in her home was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer in the early hours of Oct. 8. The big rig loaded with several thousand pounds of pumpkins ran off the road and into the 66-year-old grandmother’s bedroom.
The 34-year-old driver of the truck told investigators that the trailer began to wobble, causing him to lose control over the vehicle. He was unharmed in the collision. Several other family members were present in the home, located on the 2800 block of McGavock Pike of Donelson, but were uninjured. The victim was a retired wife and mother with grown children and several grandchildren.
Crews siphoned off fuel and carefully pulled the truck, which was en route from Virginia with 40,000 pounds of pumpkins, away from the home. Worried that the structure would collapse, the crew was hesitant to remove the vehicle. The tractor-trailer will be examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
Police investigators said there is no evidence at the scene supporting the driver’s story that he lost control of the trailer. Police also stated no brake marks were found on the road. The driver consented to a blood test and the investigation is ongoing, with members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol contributing.
Wrongful death cases such as this can leave a devastating hole in the lives of those involved. It may help to have the knowledge of an experienced lawyer when pursuing any compensation owed due to the loss of a loved one.
Source: WBTW News 13, “Sleeping grandmother killed when tractor-trailer crashes into home”, October 09, 2014