In the wee hours of a recent Monday morning, a tragedy occurred near Bucklin. A preliminary investigation showed that icy road conditions were reportedly a factor in an accident involving two vehicles and a pedestrian. Sadly, it was a fatal collision.
One of the vehicles involved in the crash was an international truck from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). Investigators say a 63-year-old man was behind the wheel of a Freightliner that careened out of control on an icy road. The vehicle struck an international MoDOT truck; the truck’s 34-year-old driver then lost control of steering and struck a pedestrian, as well as the trailer of a parked Freightliner.
Minor injuries to both drivers in fatal collision
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. Both truck drivers are said to have suffered minor injuries in the fatal collision. They were transported to an area hospital for treatment. Responders from the Linn County Sheriff’s office, as well as local fire and ambulance departments, assisted Missouri State Highway Patrol officers in the aftermath of the tragedy.
A fatal collision causes intense grief and far-reaching implications in the lives of family members and friends of a decedent. When driver negligence is a direct cause of death (such as driving too fast for inclement road conditions) a grieving family is entitled to seek justice on behalf of their deceased loved one by filing a wrongful death claim in civil court. A monetary judgment awarded to a plaintiff may help alleviate some of the financial strain occasioned by a loved one’s sudden death.