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Trucker pleads guilty to manslaughter. Date published: 8/21/2009
BY KEITH EPPS A trucker who killed a Stafford County woman while driving with no working front brakes was convicted of involuntary manslaughter yesterday in Stafford Circuit Court. James Edgar Smith, 59, of Gwynn in Mathews County entered an Alford plea, which means that while doesn't admit guilt he agrees the evidence is sufficient for a conviction. Smith will face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 16. Susan Lee Haines, 57, was killed Feb. 2 at U.S. 17 and Poplar Road when Smith's 2000 Peterbilt tractor with attached trailer ran a red light and crashed into her vehicle. The 18-wheeler was carrying 83,000 pounds of sand, prosecutor Michael Hardiman said. Hardiman said the investigation revealed that the rig had no front left brakes, and the right front brakes were not working. In his summary of the evidence, Hardiman said Smith had told a parts supplier six days earlier: "My brakes are ate up. I'm going to try to limp home." According to the evidence, Smith was heading north on U.S. 17 that morning as he neared Poplar Road. Witnesses said the light on 17 had been red for some time before Smith reached the intersection. Haines was driving the third vehicle in line coming from Poplar onto 17. She died at the scene. Hardiman said Smith told police that he though he had the green light and never saw Haines' vehicle. He also told police that he didn't hit his brakes. Two misdemeanor charges against Smith, reckless driving and defective equipment, were dropped. Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
No I don't know about running illegal and hot all the time. I have gotten 1 overaxle ticket even though I was under my gross by 4K lbs. My brakes are always working properly or the truck doesn't move. It's one thing to have a brake out of adjustment, I can understand that, it's a total nother thing to not have the brakes and chamber even on the truck. Also tell the cops his light was green and so he never touched the brake pedal.......
If he had 83K lbs of sand, he musta had an awful big trailer. ;-)
you know just as well as I do that its a regular occurance to haul overweight loads and to have "defective" equipment on the road.. as well as theres a reason why a logbook is colloquially referred to as a "comic book" in this industry its all about BS.
43k lbs of sand. Gross weight isnt supposed to exceed 80,000 lbs in this state without paying for special permits.
My husband drives a truck and I know alot of people are quick to blame them. That is a little scary for me; however, it sounds like this guy knew he was in the wrong. He took a life. Even though it won't bring this woman back, this man needs to be shown the consequences of his actions. Jail time and an indefinitely revoked license...
We're held to a higher standard and he knew what was going on, plus lied thru his teeth to the police.............I wouldn't have minded a 20 year sentence.
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