Driver Says Sneezing, Not Faulty Brakes, Led to Fatal Crash
An Idaho truck driver has been convicted of negligent homicide in a fatal accident in North Dakota.
In May 2013, 58-year-old Clark Christensen was driving a truck that smashed into several vehicles stopped at a red light west of Minot, killing 21-year-old Meghan Shoal from Montana.
Authorities allege the reason for the crash was the truck could not stop due to faulty brakes.
Christensen said that although the air brakes for the trailer were not adequately working, the tractor brakes were functioning well enough to stop the truck.– It was a sneezing fit that rendered him unable to stop the vehicle in time, he said.
The prosecution said the crash was avoidable if the truck had been operating properly.
Christensen’s Class C felony carries a maximum sentence of five years. He will have a sentencing hearing in 60 to 90 days.
Sources
NTVB-7