Calvin Gatlin Killed in Single-Vehicle Truck Accident in Hinds County, MS
Hinds County, MS -- A single-vehicle tractor-trailer incident claimed the life of 40-year-old Calvin Gatlin Tuesday, January 17, 2017 in Hinds County, MS.
It is believed the semi-truck collided into a bridge on Fortification Street around 9 a.m.
The details of the incident are unclear, but the report claims the man was extricated from the vehicle by the Jaws of Life. It has not been determined if the victim was killed at the scene of the incident. The report made no mention of other injuries in the collision.
The deadly incident left a portion of I-55 closed for several hours.
Authorities are examining the details of the crash site in an effort to determine the cause of the incident.
The report left no further information.
map of the area
Commentary
After all the single-vehicle accidents I have seen, I would be hard-pressed to find one where some sort of mechanical failure wasn't involved. When placed under a microscope of a third-party investigation, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if that was a factor in this accident. So often, trucking companies find any way possible to circumvent state and federal safety regulations to get their trucks on the road. Just as often, this places their employees in a precariously unsafe position, with little or no regard for their lives and livelihoods. This drive to place profit over public safety will inevitably lead to potential safety hazards being missed or even ignored. Thankfully, most trucking companies are hyper-vigilant in ensuring their vehicles meet and exceed the standards in place before letting the rubber hit the road. As of now, we can't say for certain what took place until a more thorough investigation is conducted.
-- Grossman Law Offices
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