FMCSA wasted no time – drugged truck driver ordered off the road for crash that killed 4 children

The FMCSA has announced they’ve issued an out of service order to a truck driver who was responsible for a wreck in Indiana that killed 2 children and 2 teens and severely injured their father.

On Thursday, July 23, the FMCSA announced that an out of service order had been issued for Ohio-based truck driver Corey Robert Withrow. The agency says that the federal order was served to Withrow on July 17.

The accident occurred on July 9 on Interstate 70, just west of the Cambridge City exit. in Wayne County, Indiana at approximately 5:00 pm.

According to police, the truck driven by Withrow crashed into a Chevrolet car, driven by Aaron Bruce of Kansas City, Missouri.

“The Kenworth failed to slow down and hit a Chevrolet passenger car in the rear that was slowed in the right lane, pushing it forward into the left rear corner of  a semi trailer which was also in the right lane directly in front of the passenger car.  The first semi continued pushing the passenger car into the left lane and eventually off onto the berm of the left lane where the two vehicles burst into flames,” the Indiana State Police report states.

Passersby were able to pull Aaron Bruce out of the car. Sadly, four others in the car could not be saved. 15-year-old Anesa Noel Acosta, 13-year-old Quintin Michael McGowan, 8-year-old Brekkin Riley Bruce, 6-year-old Trentin Beau Bruce were killed in the crash.

Aaron Bruce was taken to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis. He suffered severe injuries.

Withrow was drug tested at the scene. The results showed that Withrow was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash. According to the ISP, when authorities arrived on the scene, they found Withrow on the side of the road. He appeared to be staggering and his speech was slurred.

Withrow was taken by police to Reid Hospital. Authorities said that while on the way to the hospital, Withrow struggled to stay awake.

At the hospital, Withrow refused a blood draw. Authorities had to obtain a warrant for the test.

The blood results showed that Withrow was under the influence of marijuana, amphetamines and methamphetamine.

According to WDTN News in Ohio, the driver, Cory Withrow, has two previous convictions. In 2016, Withrow was convicted of heroin possession and in 2015, he was convicted of reckless driving and drug paraphernalia.

Following the accident, Withrow was charged with four counts of Reckless Homicide, four counts of Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated, and one count of Causing Catastrophic Injury When Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated.

FMCSA’s imminent hazard out-of-service order states that Withrow’s “blatant and egregious violations of the [federal safety regulations] and ongoing and repeated disregard for the safety of the motoring public … substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or death to you and motoring public.”