In 2015, a truck owned by the London-based company, Cool Runnings Express Inc. failed to stop when it approached stalled traffic on a Tennessee highway. The truck reportedly plowed into several cars, resulting in the deaths of six people — two of them children. Four other victims of the trucking accident suffered serious injuries.
The authorities released the 42-year-old male driver after the trucking accident, but a Tennessee jury indicted him later in 2015. However, the defendant remained at large for several days until he was arrested in Kentucky on charges of resisting arrest and trafficking methamphetamine. Before his capture, he also held a spot on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Top 10 Most Wanted list.
Blood samples collected from the driver were sent to two separate labs for testing — one of them a federal facility. Reportedly, the defendant”s blood remained at the federal lab for four months before testing. Because the results of the two blood tests differed, the trial was postponed for a short time. Regardless of the differing results, both tests revealed the presence of methamphetamine in the driver’s blood at the time of the crash.
The defendant was finally brought to trial earlier this year. The jury found him guilty of the following charges.
- A single count of speeding
- A single count of driving under the influence
- Four counts of reckless aggravated assault
- Six counts of vehicular homicide
A Hamilton County judge handed down a sentence of 11 years for each vehicular homicide charge and four years for each aggravated assault charge. As it stands, he will serve up to 55 years in prison, making this a great example of justice served in a reckless and/or negligent trucking accident.
If you or a loved one is injured in a crash involving a truck, a legal professional can provide advocacy and support.
Source: The Richmond Register, “Brewer sentenced to 55 years in Tennessee crash,” Nita Johnson, March 14, 2018