Intersections are the front lines of traffic safety. It’s all too easy, gliding along out on the interstate, to forget this fundamental fact.
But last week, a terrible truck accident at an intersection in southern Texas served as a vivid reminder of the tragic consequences that can occur when two roads meet.
Someone driving a stolen pickup truck was being pursued by law enforcement officers. Going too fast, the person driving the truck allegedly ran a red light at an intersection near Mission, Texas, not far from the Mexican border. The truck collided with at least three other vehicles and killed six people. Several other people were injured.
This post is not the time to argue at length about the underlying ethics or tactics behind high-speed police chases. Obviously there is a balance to be struck between legitimate law enforcement purposes and the need for reasonable caution, even when pursuing a suspect at high speeds.
In the tragic case last week, the suspect who reportedly ran a red light at the intersection and struck multiple vehicles tried to flee the scene. Authorities quickly apprehended him and said he would be arrested after his release from the hospital.
The suspect is an 18-year-old Texas man. He is facing six murder charges for running the red light and fatally colliding with other vehicles. Four of the six people killed were young children.
In cases such as this, there can be both civil and criminal liability for those responsible. And a thorough investigation is necessary to help assign that responsibility.
Source: Yahoo! News, “Texas man faces six murder counts after crash in high-speed police chase,” Brenan O’Brien (Reuters), August 14, 2013