A pickup truck driver involved in a fatal crash with a trucker in Minnesota earlier this month was reportedly learning English from a YouTube video on his iPad while the crash occurred, according to a report.
The crash occurred shortly after 5 p.m. on March 5 in Stoneham Township, Minnesota.
Owner-operator Timmy J. Tarnowski, 59, was hauling a load east on Highway 7 when pickup driver Georgii Gabiev, 32, of New York City, failed to stop at a stop sign while traveling north on Highway 4, colliding with the truck.
Tarnowski’s truck rolled over and caught fire following the crash.
Tarnowski did not survive the crash.
Gabiev was hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries.
Gabiev has since been charged with criminal vehicular homicide and reckless driving.
The Star Tribune reports that when a trooper approached Gabiev’s pickup for insurance documents after the crash, he saw an iPad on the dash still playing a YouTube video.
According to charging documents, “[Gabiev] was listening to a program on an iPad that was teaching him how to speak English. … He claimed to not have been looking at the iPad when he was driving.”
Tarnowski was a veteran truck driver with 4.5 million miles under his belt. According to his obituary, “he worked for STS Trucking for several years and since 2014 owned and operated his own trucking business. Tim took great pride in his truck, Max, and his unparalleled skill in navigating a 53′ trailer through intricate spaces.”