Wright City, MO — Richard Renfro was one of two people who had to be taken to the hospital after a semi-truck flipped over, causing three other vehicles to crash in Wright City, Missouri, on Monday, September 22, 2014.
James Barnes was the driver of the semi-truck that lost control and drove off the highway a little after 5:00 in the morning. He over-corrected, coming back on the road and rolling over, with his truck laying across all lanes of traffic.
Minutes later, two more semi-trucks and a Jeep crashed into the first truck. One of those semi-trucks rolled over into a ditch just off the highway. Police who are investigating the accident said there was nothing the other drivers could have done to avoid the collision.
Barnes and Richard Renfro, the driver of the semi-truck that rolled, were both taken to a nearby hospital. Police said they were both awake and talking as they were taken away.
Police are still investigating. Right now, they’re not sure what caused Barnes to lose control of his truck.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
We’ve been involved in a few pileup accidents in the past, and they’re always confusing. Everyone wants to blame everyone else. It’s just always a mess. Typically, the person who crashes first is considered to be at fault, but others out on the road have a responsibility to avoid getting into accidents, and if they’re swept up into the accident, there’s always the possibility that it was because they were just following the cars ahead of them too closely.
This case is a little different, as the truck that started everything jackknifed and blocked the entire road. Police also said the other drivers who crashed didn’t have an opportunity to stop. In that case, the truck driver — and by extension the company he works for — are going to be responsible, and should find a way to step up and make things right.
— Grossman Law Offices