Friday, district attorney Jim Hardin met with the Durham PoliceDepartment. They have decided to charge four people in connection withthe pile-up.
The truck driver from Charlotte who hit the car carrying afamily from Virginia will be charged with three counts of death by motorvehicle. The driver of the car believed to have spun out of controlsetting off the chain reaction is expected to be charged with careless andreckless driving.
Another truck driver and the driver of van from Maryland will be chargedwith speeding. Originally, fatigue was thought to have been a factor inthe accident. Friday, police say that is not the case. They saytailgating and speeding were to blame. It's just another indicator I-85through Durham is a dangerous stretch of road, the 14th most dangerous tobe exact.
According to DMV officials, I-85 through Durham is in a "high accidentcorridor." The speed limit there is 55 miles-per-hour, but the departmentof transportation recommends motorists go 45. Despite the posted limits,vehicles continue to travel in excess of 65, even in a construction zone.
Officer Robert Bowling of the DMV says Thursday's accident is the worsthe's seen in his career. Ironically enough, the concrete barriers in theconstruction zone may have prevented the accident from taking even morelives. Had the barriers not been there, officers say some of the cars andtrucks may have crossed into oncoming traffic.
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