On Wednesday, a truck driver apparently plowed straight into stopped traffic along State Route 99, just south of Chico. Multiple vehicles were caught in the resulting truck accident. California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials have announced that two people were killed in the crash and about five more were sent to the hospital for serious injuries.
The identities of all victims have not been released at this time due to privacy concerns. Although, CHP confirmed that the truck driver was Jobanjit Singh, a 22-year-old who might be new to the trucking industry.
Based on information collected from the scene and preliminary reports from truck accident investigators, the truck first hit a Honda Accord after failing to stop at the intersection. Both people in the Accord have died. The force of the impact caused at least four other vehicles to become entangled in the carnage.
What Caused the Deadly Chico Truck Accident?
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the truck driver to crash into the other vehicles, which were reportedly stopped at the intersection due to traffic signals. The traffic signal was destroyed in the crash, but it is believed to have been fully functional beforehand. CHP officials did state that alcohol or drug impairment were considered, but early reports suggest these were not a factor.
Other possibilities were that Singh was exhausted behind-the-wheel. Truck driver fatigue is consistently a factor in catastrophic truck accidents. The young age of the truck driver could also hint at inexperience with handling a commercial vehicle, which could be determined later as a contributing factor to the fatal accident.
(For more information about this recent fatal truck accident in Chico and related ongoing investigations, you can click here to read a full article from ABC 7 KRCR News.)
To speak with a Chico truck accident attorney or wrongful death lawyer about a claim of your own, call (530) 413-0245 and connect with the Law Offices of Larry S. Buckley. We have successfully recovered millions of dollars for accident victims and their families, marking us as one of the most trustworthy law firms in the region. From our law offices in Sacramento, Roseville, and Redding, we represent clients throughout Northern California.