One Man Killed, Woman Seriously Injured in an Accident with a Box Truck in a Construction Zone Along State Highway 17 Near Houston, Missouri

HOUSTON, Mo. — A box truck driver is in custody following a deadly collision that occurred Monday morning north of Houston, Missouri. Authorities say the crash happened in a construction zone along State Highway 17, approximately five miles from town.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a box truck struck the rear of an SUV that was stopped in the work zone.

The SUV’s driver, an 80-year-old man from Bucyrus, died at the scene. A 79-year-old woman in the vehicle sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in Springfield.

The truck driver has been charged with driving while intoxicated, resulting in death, involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, and armed criminal action.

The Impaired Driver and the Trucking Company Which Hired Him Need to be Held Accountable For their Negligent Actions

An impaired driver should never be on the road. There are strict federal regulations regarding truck drivers, alcohol consumption,  and the use of controlled substances. For instance, truck drivers are not allowed to consume alcohol four hours before operating a large vehicle (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). They must also go through routine sobriety tests to confirm they are not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Unfortunately, many truck drivers violate these rules. Truck accidents are responsible for 4,800 yearly fatalities, with 5% of those fatal accidents involving substance abuse (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). These numbers are unacceptable. When truck drivers cause serious injuries and deaths due to driving under the influence, they and the employers that hired them must be held accountable for their negligent actions.

May the injured woman here make a full recovery.

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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in auto and truck accidents that result in serious injury or death.

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.