Today a grand jury indicted a truck driver and his company for their role in the deaths of five Georgia nursing students in a pile up crash on I-16 last year.
Truck Reportedly Rear Ended Two Cars That Had Slowed For Another Crash
The crash happened on April 22, 2015. According to the Georgia State Patrol, it is believed that the Total Transportation truck driven by 56 year old John Wayne Johnson rear ended two cars carrying seven students after those cars slowed for a separate accident. Five of the students died in the crash and the other two were seriously injured.
Trucker And Company Both Indicted On Serious Charges
Johnson was indicted on a total of nine counts — five counts of first degree vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, failure to exercise due care, and following too closely.
The grand jury also indicted Total Transportation for their role in the crash. They are facing counts of criminal responsibility of corporations, five counts of first degree vehicular homicide and serious injury by vehicle.
Attorneys representing the families of the nursing students say that Johnson was texting prior to the crash.
Trucker, company face homicide charges in crash that killed nursing students https://t.co/MTVnobmE9g pic.twitter.com/9FXAvsBmlG
— 11Alive News (@11AliveNews) June 15, 2016
Sources:
WBRC
WSB TV
Atlanta Journal Constitution