Alejandro Vazquez Valdez, Jesus Martinez Parra, Abel Lopez Lopez, Jose Aguirre Tronco, Pedro Galicia Ignacio, Jonatan Hernadez Gomez Killed in Bus, Truck Accident in Louisville, NY
Louisville, NY -- January 28, 2023, six workers were killed due to an accident involving a box truck and a work bus.
Initial details about the crash say that it happened at around 6:00 a.m. along Route 37. According to initial statements from the National Transportation Safety Board, the crash involved a Penske truck and a small bus which is apparently owned by a New York solar farm company, LBFNY. It appears at this time that the crash happened along Route 37 when the box truck crossed the center line and hit the company bus head-on.
Due to the collision, six people on the bus sustained fatal injuries. Reports currently identify them as 45-year-old Alejandro Vazquez Valdez, 44-year-old Jesus Martinez Parra, 39-year-old Abel Lopez Lopez, 35-year-old Jose Aguirre Tronco, 29-year-old Pedro Galicia Ignacio, 25-year-old Jonatan Hernadez Gomez. All victims were said to be from Mexico.
NTSB officials said that they've begun investigations but that they "will be complete in 12 to 18 months." This is something I've discussed a lot in the past, but it always warrants repeating. Those investigations are likely to be just about the most thorough accounts of what exactly led to this awful event—what exactly caused the crash, who's responsible, how it all could have been avoided, and whether or not there are issues which need to be addressed to ensure this doesn't happen again. The NTSB has just about the most skilled and experienced investigators at their disposal, so I have little doubt their reports will give the victims' loved ones the answers they deserve.
The problem, however, is that time frame. NTSB themselves said it could take them over a year to finally get answers. As clear as those answers may be, that means grieving loved ones relying on those reports would have to sit around for a year before they got any clear answers. As such, that makes independent accident reconstructionists a vital ally for those families. There's a reason independent investigators are a go-to resource for attorneys, trucking companies, insurance companies, and even the authorities.
Getting a family clear answers is one of if not the most helpful steps toward providing them the closure they deserve. At the end of the day, families shouldn't have to sit around helplessly waiting for those answers. The NTSB investigation will be a vital step forward, but there's no good reason it needs to be the first step.
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