Commercial Truck Driver Causes Tragic Fatal Accident
Commercial truck driver Stevie Breland, 58, has been charged in the hit and run death of Flora Ellenburg, 49, in Chester County in early February. The accident occurred on I-77 in Chester County in the early hours of Monday, February 8th. Ellenburg was a passenger in a Ford Explorer that was rear-ended by a commercial truck, resulting in a loss of control that led the vehicle to overturn. First responders transported the driver to Carolinas Medical Center with injuries; sadly, Ellenburg was killed during the accident.
WBTV 3 reported, “Deputy solicitor Hall said Breland falsified his driving logs the day of accident. ‘The logs that the truckers are required to keep show that he was in Charleston, the day of the accident when in fact he was in Chester County,’ Hall said. Troopers investigating the crash said Breland dumped vehicle parts in the woods. ‘Mr. Breland had gone to North Carolina, he had altered his truck, he had taken the bumper off of it, he had stashed it in the woods,’ Hall said.” In addition, Breland allegedly made a stop in Orangeburg County to purchase a replacement bumper.
18 wheeler accidents are often fatal
When tractor-trailers rear-end vehicles, the results are often fatal. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that in almost half of all two-vehicle fatal crashes involving commercial trucks, both vehicles were moving in a straight line. The common causes of fatal commercial truck accidents include:
- Truck driver intoxication
- Truck driver fatigue
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Driving the wrong-way on a road
- Defective or failed truck parts
Between the start of 2011 and the end of 2012, 3,491 people were killed in rear-end crashes and more than 1 million others were injured. Bottom line? When a big rig rear-ends another vehicle, people die.
If your loved one was seriously injured or killed in a commercial truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for injuries or wrongful death. The experienced South Carolina commercial truck accident attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC can evaluate your case and help get you the compensation you deserve. Call 803-327-7800 or contact us today for a free consultation.
Randy is the former President of the South Carolina Association for Justice. He has been certified by the American Board of Professional Liability as a specialist in Medical Malpractice Law which is recognized by the South Carolina Bar. Randy has also been awarded the distinction of being a “Super Lawyer” 10 times in the last decade. He has over 25 years of experience helping injured people fight back against corporations, hospitals and wrong-doers.
Read more about S. Randall Hood