Shamrock Foods Driver Killed in 18-Wheeler Accident on I-17 in Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix, AZ -- May 20, 2022, one truck driver was killed in a crash between three Shamrock Foods tractor-trailers on Interstate 17 in Phoenix.
Authorities say the incident happened around 4:15 a.m. on northbound I-17 near Deer Valley Road. Preliminary investigation suggests a Shamrock truck with double trailers stalled on the roadway and came to a stop. A second truck driver saw the first truck break down and pulled over to help, radioing back to a third Shamrock driver about the problem. Reports say the third driver was unable to stop in time and crashed into the stalled truck. After the impact a fire broke out in one or more trucks.
The third Shamrock driver suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
The crash remains under investigation. No further information is currently available.
Commentary on 18-Wheeler Accident on I-17 in Phoenix
This is a terrible incident and my heart goes out to everyone affected--both the family of the driver who lost his life and the other drivers who were unwilling participants in a tragic crash.
As investigators continue to connect the dots of this incident, it seems like there are some important questions still in need of answers--not specifically to blame anyone, but just to make sure all the lingering issues are addressed. For instance: How long after the first truck broke down did the third truck approach? Did the first truck stop fully in the road? What made it break down in the first place? Was that issue completely out of the blue, or was the rig overdue for maintenance? Could anything else reasonably have been done differently to prevent the crash or reduce its damage?
None of those questions and the many others like them are meant to complicate things or point fingers. I read the same reports as everyone else and they describe a terrible accident with few alternatives. Maybe a closer investigation that goes beyond the immediate facts at the scene will turn up nothing else, but I've seen plenty of instances where skilled experts learned troubling details that put a crash like this in a whole new light. If for no other reason than to make sure the victim's loved ones have all the facts, it's important to be careful and thorough when investigating an accident like this. Any other action to take would depend largely on what those facts turn out to be.
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