Odessa, TX — There was a hit-and-run accident earlier in December that left two people with very serious injuries and an 18-wheeler driver still at large. Police said that Hermilo Castillo and his wife, Sarah Castillo, were both injured after their cars crashed into an 18-wheeler that was blocking traffic.
This accident happened on December 8, at the intersection of Highway 302 and FM 1936. Apparently, a blue or green 18-wheeler pulling a flatbed trailer was headed north on FM 1936 when it pulled into the intersection. For some reason, the truck stopped in the middle of the intersection, blocking all lanes of traffic, when it was hit by Sarah Castillo’s car, then Hermilo Castillo’s car.
Another vehicle was also involved. Instead of staying at the scene, the 18-wheeler sped off and hasn’t been located. The weather was foggy that morning, so witnesses and victims weren’t able to get a good look at the truck.
As of a few days ago, Hermilo Castillo was still at Medical Center Hospital, where he is in a coma from his injuries. Sarah Castillo suffered a broken femur and also required medical treatment, though she is still inc recovery.
Police in Midland and Odessa are searching for this truck and encourage anyone to contact their local police if they have information. NewsWest9 mentioned that the Castillo’s are offering a $5,000 to anyone who can help bring the truck driver to justice.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary:
I know that the victims and their family are concerned with bringing the truck driver to justice, but it may be more than that. It may be that an entire trucking company needs to be pursued here and brought to justice.
Sure, the truck driver here was negligent in fleeing the scene and (given the foggy weather) probably shouldn’t have been on the road in the first place. But, in my career handling commercial transport companies in court, I’ve found that negligent behavior like that is often reflective of poor company training and hiring practices. Whoever this truck driver is working for will have to answer for his actions, and it can be quite an uphill legal battle if you don’t know what you’re doing once you locate and interrogate the truck driver.
There are clearly criminal charges to be filed here and administrative penalties for the trucking company (if there was one at all), but you also have to consider the costs of this accident in terms of medical care, doctor’s visits, damaged vehicles, and lost wages. These are things that need to be addressed and this truck driver needs to step forward and be held accountable for that accident.
— Grossman Law Offices
