Wyoming investigators say that road conditions were less than ideal when a vehicular tragedy occurred in the wee hours of a recent Monday morning. A tractor-trailer operator may have been traveling too fast when he lost control of the rig, sparking a series of events that resulted in two deaths. The semi flipped over and entered a median area.
At the time, two people were standing by the median, including a tow truck driver and the driver of a vehicle that was in the process of being towed from Interstate 80. When the massive rig careened into the median, it struck both people. Rescuers transported them to a nearby hospital for emergency care.
Only 1 person survived
Sadly, although the tow truck driver initially survived his injuries, he later died at the hospital. The tractor-trailer driver was also killed in the collision. The death toll associated with Wyoming motor vehicle accidents in 2023is nearly double what it was last year. The fatalities resulting from this tragedy brought the total to 34.
State law provides recourse for grieving families to seek justice
When driver negligence has been a causal factor in a fatal Wyoming collision, state law allows an immediate family member of a deceased victim to file a wrongful death claim in civil court against the party or parties deemed responsible. If that person is also deceased, a claim may be filed against his or her estate. Compensation awarded in successful claims for damages may help offset funeral expenses and other financial losses associated with the fatal accident.