Tarryl Brown Killed in Accident with Parked Semi-Truck in Bridgeport, CT
Bridgeport, CT -- A crash between a passenger vehicle and a parked semi-truck claimed the life of 41-year-old Tarryl Brown Saturday, July 15, 2017.
According to reports, the incident happened on Newfield Avenue around 7:30 p.m. It appears the victim's vehicle was traveling along Newfield when it collided with a semi-truck parked beneath the I-95 overpass. Mr. Brown was cut from the vehicle as it was wedged beneath the semi.
Mr. Brown was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The report mentioned no other injuries in the crash.
The investigation is currently underway.
map of the area
Commentary
It may come as a surprise to many reading about this accident, but the driver of the truck may be at fault. In fact, federal law requires drivers of commercial vehicles to follow certain guidelines when parking vehicles on our roadways. However, this is contingent upon whether or not the location of the parked semi-truck clearly contributed to the incident.
The media report clearly states the truck was parked in a no-parking zone. While this may lead some to think this is clear proof the parked truck contributed to the victim's death, this may not be so.
Let's say the driver of the parked truck failed to use appropriate hazard signals such as warning lights, flares, or hazard triangles. Were this the case, it's likely the trucking company would be found liable. Considering the sun went down around 8:23 p.m. on this particular day, you could see how the dark underpass combined with low light could have made the parked truck difficult to see.
The report also fails to mention why the truck was parked beneath the overpass. According to federal guidelines, trucks are only allowed to park on a highway's shoulder in the case of an emergency. If this truck was parked for any reason other than an emergency, it's likely the truck driver would be considered liable.
The fact is, it will be up to a jury to decide whether or not the trucking company contributed to the victim's injuries. This means trucking companies and the victim's family alike will need to gather appropriate evidence to state their cases.
--Grossman Law Offices
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