BAXTER COUNTY, Ark. — An accident claimed the lives of two women, Jennifer Watlington and Sunshine Underhill, when a large truck collided with their van on a foggy highway in Baxter County.
According to the Arkansas State Police, the incident took place at 7:25 a.m. on State Highway 5 near Midway. Preliminary findings from the fatal crash report reveal that 39-year-old Jennifer Watlington of Yellville was traveling southbound and approaching the intersection of State Highway 126.
Meanwhile, a northbound 2005 Sterling truck, driven by a 61-year-old male, failed to yield the right of way, and his truck struck Watlington’s 2010 Chrysler Town and Country van, resulting in the untimely deaths of both Jennifer Watlington and her passenger, Sunshine Underhill.
The truck driver sustained unspecified injuries and was promptly transported to Baxter Regional Medical Center for treatment.
According to the crash report, heavy fog was prevalent in the area at the time of the tragic accident.
The families of the women killed in this crash deserve justice for the wrongdoing of the truck driver.
Obey traffic laws and take your time. If the truck driver had followed these two rules while driving in the fog, these two women would not have lost their lives. Instead, this truck driver chose to ignore all safety protocols when he failed to yield and slow down in adverse weather, causing this fatal accident. If the preliminary reports are true and this crash was caused by such negligence, the truck driver needs to be held responsible.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted an extensive study called The Large Truck Crash Causation (LTCCS), which reports that 23% of large truck accidents happen when commercial truck drivers drive too fast for conditions. This is especially true when conditions pose greater risk. Driving the speed limit in a lot of cases is dangerous, especially in a big truck. Truck drivers should keep a safe distance during dense fog and maintain a speed appropriate to the weather. When they don’t people are killed.
Death disrupts families in more ways than one. The families of Ms. Watlington and Ms. Underhill deserve rightful compensation for the disruption the truck driver’s actions have caused them. Disruption of no longer having their loved one. Disruption of the trauma they now carry. Disruption of hospital bills, funeral costs, loss of income. Disruption of having to live without a chance to say goodbye. These families deserve justice.
There is no price for losing a mother, wife, daughter, or sister. However, the hope is that holding wrongdoers responsible for their negligent actions will result in fewer tragedies and ensure the grieving families receive the compensation they need to grieve without financial burdens.
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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation, with extensive experience in complex auto/tire defect and commercial vehicle cases.
Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.
