San Bernardino County, CA — Officials have identified Shane Gretzner as one of three people injured in an accident with an dump truck that was hauling 80,000 pounds of concrete in San Bernardino County, California, on Tuesday, June 24, 2014. The accident took place on Highway 138, around 11:45 at night.
According to reports, the driver of the dump truck ran a stop sign and collided with a PT Cruiser carrying five people. The truck pushed the Cruiser down an embankment, coming to rest on top of it. Two people were killed, and the other three sustained serious injuries.
Killed in the accident were Nicole Lyle and John Cabrera. Injured were Shane Gretzner, Michael Baker, and David Castaneda. Emergency crews took two hours to free them from the wreckage. All three were taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for the treatment of their injuries. There’s been no word on their current condition.
The driver of the dump truck has been identified as Sonja Aida, who was hired as a subcontractor on an area construction project.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
Any way you look at it. The driver of the dump truck is at fault for the accident. She chose to run a stop sign, and if weren’t for that decision, two kids would still be alive. However, while it’s possible the driver may face some sort of fine for the accident, or perhaps be ticketed by the police, it’s the company she works for that’s going to be held responsible. However, I’d still like to know what role the general contractor played in all this. It’s possible that they would be partially liable for the accident, based on the amount of control they exerted over the driver’s actions. For example, if they loaded her truck with 80,000 pounds of concrete then told her that she had 30 minutes to make a delivery. It’s possible there’s nothing there, but it’s something that should be looked into.
— Grossman Law Offices