Montgomery County Truck Accident Charges Driver
On Jan. 23, a tractor-trailer plowed into stalled traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway, killing a father of three. According to the article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the tractor-trailer had been cited repeatedly for faulty brakes and was operating with a fraudulent inspection sticker.
After a seven-week investigation of the truck accident, authorities charged the driver, Valerijs Belovs of Northeast Philadelphia, as well as the co-owner of the 18-wheeler and a garage owner, with vehicular homicide.
Montgomery County District Attorney said the truck’s worn-out brakes prevented it from stopping in time before it plowed into halted east-bound traffic on the Schuykill. The truck went over the top of one car, killing its driver, David Schreffler, and injuring an occupant, Joseph John Maylish, and smashed into three other vehicles in this fatal auto accident.
Although the 18-wheeler bore current state inspection stickers certifying the tractor and trailer to be in good working order, the crash police mechanics found the rig’s brakes to be defective. None of the 10 brake assemblies worked efficiently, and three brake assemblies “failed completely.”
According to the article, there were 18 violations being filed against Belovs while driving the same trailer involved in the crash.
The owner of the tractor, Victor Kalinitchii, was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Joseph Jadczak, who signed the inspection report certifying the rig as safe was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. Belovs told police that in the Russian community it is possible to purchase inspection stickers without having a vehicle inspected.
Belovs, Jadczak, and Kalinitchii should be held criminally and civilly responsible for the accident, injuries, and the death of Schreffler. Schreffler’s family deserves to be rightfully compensated for their tremendous loss. They would be well advised to contact a skilled Philadelphia auto accident attorney.
The top Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Cherry, Fieger and Marciano, LLP, represent clients who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Our Philly vehicle accident lawyers have years of experience representing Pennsylvania vehicle accident cases, including motorcycle accident injury and truck accident injury cases. If you or a loved one has suffered severe physical injuries in an automobile accident in Pennsylvania, please call Cherry, Fieger and Marciano, LLP for a free case evaluation.
