Pharr, TX – On January 10, 2008, a fiery truck crash killed four people on the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge and accusations are flying at almost every party that could have been involved. Accusations have been made toward the city of Pharr, the trucking companies and their drivers, and the company that installed the bridge’s concrete barriers even faces legal action. The lawsuit has been taken on by at least 15 different law firms on behalf of the four families who lost loved ones that day.
Driver Lost Control, Truck Burst into Flames
On that January day, a tractor-trailer driver hit a concrete barrier, lost control of his truck and jackknifed into oncoming traffic. The truck burst into flames, which caused four people to be killed, according to the accident report filed by the Pharr police.
The Fletes Y Acarreos truck driver, who is a Mexican national named Jose Manuel Garcia Rodriguez, did not make a U-turn like what was reported by authorities who first reported from the scene. The suit alleges that the concrete barriers that were put in place by S&G Paving Co. of Edinburg were improperly placed along the bridge and were not properly maintained by the city, which is why both the paving company and the city are named in the suit.
The suit also alleges that Rodriguez was driving too fast to keep control of the truck. All parties named in the suit have denied any type of liability in the accident. The attorney for Pharr, Charles Willette, says that the city is immune under Texas law even though it has a contract with the paving company.
When the scene was reconstructed, it found that Rodriguez lost control, smacked into another tractor-trailer, burst into flames that killed a mini van driver that was unable to escape the vehicle, and also threw a truck from the bridge to the dry riverbed below, killing another three people.
When 41-year-old driver of the pickup truck veered to the left to avoid the accident, he hit a wall in the south-bound lane, causing the truck to flip and slide along the wall until it hit a light pole and fell off of the bridge. The accident crushed and killed the driver.
The driver of the minivan hit a second tractor-trailer that was driving south and driven by Pedro Noriega Perez. It was that point that the truck driven by Rodriguez burst into flames and consumed the van.
Accident Details Still Being Investigated
The details of the truck accident is still being investigated because they are looking into the possibility of pressing criminal charges against one of the involved parties, according to the lawyers in the suit. However, there are things about the accident that will never be known. The fire that broke out burned any of the skid marks that were left and the bridge camera was not working that night.
Contact a Truck Accident Attorney
When you need a lawyer who will exhaustively investigate your case and make sure that every responsible party is held accountable, contact The Killino Firm, where Keeping America Safe is our primary goal. To speak to one of our attorneys, please call us toll free at 877-875-2927, or contact a Philadelphia truck accident attorney via email. We will respond promptly to your inquiry so that you can experience The Killino Firm Difference.
