Man Steals Truck, Crashes while Trying to Avoid Zombies

It may not always be clear how or why an accident happens in the first place. Sometimes a defective part is a culprit while other times, it is poor maintenance of a vehicle that contributes to a crash. Because it is not always easy to determine what caused an accident, preserving the scene and making sure it is thoroughly investigated can be crucial.

This can be especially true for trucking accidents. There are a number of questions that often need to be asked after a crash, and tracking the cause and liability for an accident is not always as simple as it sounds. Because collisions that involve a large tractor-trailer often leave victims with catastrophic injuries, figuring out who is responsible for the accident is crucial.

Recently, many people were injured when an out-of-control semi truck tore down a highway. A Tennessee man was behind the wheel of the 18-wheeler when he lost control of it and crashed into a Toyota Tacoma. The Tacoma then crashed into another car which then crashed into yet another vehicle. The trucker kept going and hit two other vehicles before finally flipping over and ending the rampage. All told, four people suffered serious injuries.

Figuring out who is responsible for the crash may not be as easy as it seems. According to reports, the 19-year-old transient from Tennessee who was driving the vehicle was not authorized to do so. He had been riding in the truck as a passenger with the regular operator. When the trucker stopped to complete some paperwork, the teen got behind the wheel and sped off. He was allegedly under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs when he was driving and told police that he had been driving erratically because there were zombies chasing him and he was trying to escape.

In this case, it may not be so easy for victims to figure out whom to hold accountable for their injuries. Could the authorized operator be responsible for allowing the man to ride along with him and leaving the man alone in the truck with the keys? Was the regular driver potentially using the same drugs as his passenger? Could the trucking company be liable? All these questions should be answered before a clear determination of who is at fault in the crash can be made.