A Michigan truck driver said he is “in agony” over Sunday’s fatal crash in Indiana that left three people, including a 1-year-old, dead, according to a handwritten note the 34-year-old wrote that was released by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.
“My heart and prayers are with the families. I am in agony over this whole ordeal,” Mathew Lewis Small wrote in the short note released by sheriff’s office on Monday.
Small is charged with three counts of reckless homicide in connection with the crash on Interstate 65 near the Zionsville exit.
The sheriff’s office said it released Small’s note at the trucker’s request.
“He is very regretful and upset over what happened,” Sheriff Mike Nielson said in a statement.
Small told officers that he looked away from the road to put down his coffee mug before his semi crashed into multiple vehicles in slowing traffic, the sheriff’s office said.
The investigation into the pileup could take up to six months to complete.
Did you know?
Robberies involving train cargo climbed by 13%, to 910, in Mexico during the third quarter of 2019, according to figures from the country’s Railway Transport Regulatory Agency.
Quotable:
“This is an insult to women in technology.”
– Investor Elisabeth Fullerton on first daughter Ivanka Trump speaking on the future of work at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show.
In other news:
Pennsylvania among worst states for deadly truck crashes
Pennsylvania has among the highest rates of fatal truck accidents in the United States, according to a recent study. (Patch)
Wyoming lawmakers look to add tolls to I-80
A Wyoming state bill to add tolls to Interstate 80 will go before lawmakers in February. (CDL Life)
Knight-Swift, DAT partner for rate forecasting
Knight-Swift is the first company to pilot a new DAT rate-forecasting tool based on RateView. (Supply Chain Dive)
British Columbia streamlines permits for trucks
The Canadian province will preapprove some trips for commercial vehicles traveling to two ports and Alberta. (Business in Vancouver)
Australia trucking association backs aid for firms hit by fires
The Western Roads Federation is hopeful the Australian government will provide financial assistance to trucking companies impacted by the devastating wildfires. (Australasian Transport News)
Final thoughts:
Whatever the ultimate cause of the Indiana crash, it should serve as a reminder to all drivers that there is no replacement for fatigue except rest.
It’s also critical to address any underlying health issues, especially sleep apnea, as FreightWaves Chief Analytics Officer Dean Crooke recently wrote.
Hammer down, everyone!