Louisiana fans of Tracy Morgan might be interested to learn that a New Jersey grand jury has indicted the Wal-Mart truck driver who struck the comedian’s limo in 2014. The indictment, which was handed down on Dec. 23, charges the driver with aggravated manslaughter in the first degree, vehicular homicide in the second degree and aggravated assault in the third degree.
In June 2014, the Wal-Mart driver rear-ended Morgan’s Mercedes Benz limo on the New Jersey Turnpike, severely injuring the former Saturday Night Live star and killing another passenger. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found that the driver had not slept in the 28 hours leading up to the crash. The board also determined he was driving faster than the 45 mph speed limit and failed to brake before the collision. The driver’s attorney disputes the NTSB’s findings.
Earlier in December, the driver’s attorney tried to get the charges against his client dismissed, claiming that media reports detailing Morgan’s federal lawsuit against Wal-Mart, which was settled over the summer, made it impossible for him to receive a fair trial.
After a lengthy recovery, Morgan began performing again this fall. He appeared at a Kennedy Center salute to comedian Eddie Murphy and hosted Saturday Night Live. His new comedy tour, “Tracy Morgan: Picking Up the Pieces,” is scheduled to begin on Feb. 5.
Like Morgan, people who are injured in truck accidents can face months of recovery time. Sometimes victims are left with a permanent disability. In order to receive financial relief from medical bills and other expenses, it may be beneficial to file a personal injury lawsuit against the commercial vehicle driver who caused the accident. In some cases, the trucking company itself could be deemed responsible as well. An attorney could explain all of the available legal options.
Source: USA Today, “Truck driver in Tracy Morgan crash charged with manslaughter,” Maeve McDermott, Dec. 23, 2015
