Seven Dead in I-65 Crash

 Posted on September 30, 2013 in Personal Injury

According to a recent report by ABC Local, an Indiana family has lost seven lives because of a reckless semi-truck driver. Four of the victims were children under the age of eight. According to reports, the driver of the semi that caused the accident has a colorful driving record. Howard Stratton has been given speeding tickets at least five different times since 2006. He also was sent a letter of warning from the Michigan Secretary of State in 2011 for not submitting to a required weigh in of the truck. He was later cited for not doing so. Stratton was driving on I-65 when he rear-ended the Jeep with the family inside. This impact caused the Jeep to careen into the semi-truck directly in front of them. The Jeep was mangled and caught fire. First responders stated that the Jeep was burned beyond recognition. A representative of the Indiana State Police stated that it was apparent that the tragedy was caused by the negligence and the inattentive driving of the driver of the semi. He stated that the Jeep was so mangled that at the time of first inspection, they could only be sure that there were two people in the Jeep. No other bodies of the family were recognizable until further inspection. Stratton was carrying items for Griffin Transportation, a company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The driver has not been officially charged or cited for any crime at this time. The incident is still being investigated. Losing a loved one to such a tragedy is never easy, especially when there are children involved. While a lawsuit will not bring the lost family members back, it can provide compensation to the family that has been left behind. It can also cover the loss of property, medical bills for survivors, as well as punitive damages for the pain and suffering for both the surviving victims and family members. An experienced and empathetic Illinois accident attorney can help you with your claim.