A tractor-trailer drove into the back of two cars which caused a collision involving four other vehicles on an Interstate highway near Philadelphia.  The driver, 55 year old Valerijs Belovs, wanted to have his bail lowered from $50,000, but the motion was denied.

Belovs was charged with vehicular homicide when the driver of a car he ran into was killed. His bail was originally set at $350,000.  The truck he was driving reportedly had been having severe braking problems.

Along with Belovs, the owner of the truck, Victor Kalinitchii, and a 61 year old garage owner, Joseph Jadczak Jr., were also convicted of vehicular homicide.  Jadczak owns Pratt Auto Service in Philadelphia and reportedly inspected the truck and passed it.

Investigators inspected the truck after the accident and reported that all 10 brakes on the big rig were badly worn.  The cab was also examined and the left front brakes were found to be “worn and dangerously thin.”  Many other brakes were overheated, scorched and of the wrong size.  Also, leaking fluid was found in the brake linings in a rear axle and another brake lining had been heated up so much that the lining had adhered to the brake shoe.

Belovs admitted that he did not keep a log book that the law requires.  He claimed that he called Kalinitchii several times and told him about the bad brakes, but he was told to keep driving.

The truck had been stopped by police in Maryland, Iowa, Arizona, and California and was taken out of service for a while.  But somehow the rig made it back on the roads without having the proper repairs.

If you’ve lost a loved one as the result of truck driver negligence, talk to an experienced truck wreck attorney for professional insight.

A drunk driving accident 6 years ago left Kenneth Smith paralyzed and without a father.

Late one night while he and his father were stopped at a toll booth on their way home from work, a black BMW driven by an intoxicated Ramchand Jagaroo smashed into their Ford F150, sending it flying over the bridge and onto a small island in the San Jacinto River. Jagaroo’s breath test showed he was way beyond the legal blood-alcohol limit.

Kenneth is now a quadriplegic. His father died in the crash. Though he has many hopes for his future, his greatest aspiration is to walk again. He is trying to raise $40,000 for a stem-cell treatment at a clinic in Central America. His doctors warn that it may be false hope, but Kenneth is trying anyway.

Jagaroo is serving time in prison for intoxicated assault and manslaughter. He denies any fault in the accident.

Last month, there was a drunk driving car crash in Utah resulting in the death of a passenger.

Jerome Richard had been drinking, and drove his truck onto a raised median to pass a car ahead of him. The truck flipped as he drove off of the median and his passenger, Shelynda DeJoelie was thrown from the car. DeJoelie died from the resulting injuries.

Under Utah State Law, Richard may be charged with automobile homicide. If convicted, he could spend up to five years in prison for this felony.

Drunk driving is an all-too common occurrence across the United States. Approximately every 30 seconds, there is another wreck that involves an intoxicated driver.

One possible way to curtail drunk driving is to install breath ignitions on the vehicles of repeat offenders. In order to start the car, the driver must breathe into the device. The car will not start if it detects alcohol on the driver’s breath. This ignition lock system could save lives by keeping drunken drivers off the roads.