Trucker Accused of Watching Porn On Laptop At Time of Fatal Crash

[catlover79]

http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-trucker-watching-porn-fatal-accident-txt,0,7376157.story

BROOK PARK, Ohio -- A local truck driver has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, accused of causing a fatal accident in Buffalo, New York last month.

Investigators say 45-year-old Thomas Wallace, of Brook Park, was distracted by pornography he was watching on his lap-top computer at the time of the accident.

They also say he had no more than about 4 hours of sleep in the previous 27 hours, which is a violation of federal trucking rules.

According to authorities, Wallace hit the car in which 33-year-old Julie Stratton of Snyder, New York was sitting.

Police say that Stratton had just hit a deer. Her damaged car was sitting in a lane on an open stretch of highway when it was struck.

Shortly after the accident, Stratton's family pleaded for Buffalo area residents -- who saw the accident -- to come forward.

"I'm always looking for the truth and I'm sure it will be revealed," said her emotional father Brian Dopkin.

Captain Michael Nigrelli of the New York State Police tells Fox 8 News the road was clear on the day of the accident. "Visibility was fine, there was no snow on the roads."

Nigrelli says other vehicles were able to see and avoid Stratton, but investigators believe Wallace's eyes were not on the road.

Wallace is being held in the Genesee County Jail in New York on a $50,000 cash bond.

[ZeldaGilroy]

That is awful!!! Why would anyone be using a laptop while driving anyway, let alone looking at porn? I feel so bad for the woman's family who lost their loved one because of this man's stupidity. :(

[catlover79]

Just sickening. :mad:

[80sTrivia]

Horribly sad... to cost another person their life over something so pathetic and sickening...

[JamesG]

So stupid and reckless.

It doesn't matter that it was porn it was the fact he was watching his laptop while driving.

[catlover79]

So stupid and reckless.

It doesn't matter that it was porn it was the fact he was watching his laptop while driving.
True - he could've been watching Peter Pan and it would've been just as bad. So sad that an innocent bystander had to pay the price because of this guy's stupidity. :mad:

[MickeyMac]

Just sickening. :mad:


Totally

[Janice]

Just terrible. I think had that been a loved one of mine who died, it would matter that it was porn. Just makes it more disgusting.

[Marvo301]

I can't believe no one is talking about the fact that this guy only had 4 hours sleep in the 27 hours leading up to the accident. As bad as it is to be watching a computer screen while driving (and I admit that is extremely dangerous) this accident may have still occurred even without the computer because this guy was driving on so little sleep. There are very specific rules about how many hours in a row you can drive and how many hours you have to take off before you can start driving again. I know about these rules because my brother is a long haul truck driver and we have discussed these rules numerous times. The fact is this guy was creating a major danger to himself and all other motorists on the road just by being on the road with that little sleep. the computer thing just compounded what was already a very bad situation.

[phoebe7165]

I can't believe no one is talking about the fact that this guy only had 4 hours sleep in the 27 hours leading up to the accident. As bad as it is to be watching a computer screen while driving (and I admit that is extremely dangerous) this accident may have still occurred even without the computer because this guy was driving on so little sleep. There are very specific rules about how many hours in a row you can drive and how many hours you have to take off before you can start driving again. I know about these rules because my brother is a long haul truck driver and we have discussed these rules numerous times. The fact is this guy was creating a major danger to himself and all other motorists on the road just by being on the road with that little sleep. the computer thing just compounded what was already a very bad situation.

Very well said, Marv. I am very aware of the "Hours of Service", too, as I, too, have been a long haul truck driver for the past 11 years. The thing that gets me is these drivers who drive for hours on end and not taking the required 10 hrs off, get away with it because their companies let them get away with it!!

My truck has a Qualcomm system to where my company knows where I'm at alot of the times, and they compare that to what I enter on my logbook. If this IDIOT had taken the required 10 hrs off, he could be watching that porn on his own time, and Julie Stratton would be still alive.

[Marvo301]

Very well said, Marv. I am very aware of the "Hours of Service", too, as I, too, have been a long haul truck driver for the past 11 years. The thing that gets me is these drivers who drive for hours on end and not taking the required 10 hrs off, get away with it because their companies let them get away with it!!

My truck has a Qualcomm system to where my company knows where I'm at alot of the times, and they compare that to what I enter on my logbook. If this IDIOT had taken the required 10 hrs off, he could be watching that porn on his own time, and Julie Stratton would be still alive.
I know from talking to my brother that there are truck drivers who "fudge" their logbooks so that it appears they are taking the required time off when in reality they are not. Perhaps it needs to be mandatory for all trucks to have a Qualcomm system or something similar installed. The honor system is obviously not working and as this incident illustrates the consequences can be deadly.

[catlover79]

I can't believe no one is talking about the fact that this guy only had 4 hours sleep in the 27 hours leading up to the accident. As bad as it is to be watching a computer screen while driving (and I admit that is extremely dangerous) this accident may have still occurred even without the computer because this guy was driving on so little sleep. There are very specific rules about how many hours in a row you can drive and how many hours you have to take off before you can start driving again. I know about these rules because my brother is a long haul truck driver and we have discussed these rules numerous times. The fact is this guy was creating a major danger to himself and all other motorists on the road just by being on the road with that little sleep. the computer thing just compounded what was already a very bad situation.
Oh, they mentioned that issue in last night's newscast. You are totally right.

[Retro4Life]

While I'm sure the guy didn't MEAN to hurt anyone, it's hard to feel any real sympathy for him. He didn't even consider that driving while looking at a computer screen MIGHT endanger someone else? Insane, and utterly selfish.

ohno:

[ThomasE]

If people would adhere to the rules then there would be less problems like this. I hate that this happened.

[MrCleveland]

This is pathetic!

Remember when a Bus Driver hurt someone...because she was texting?!

[Lee]

Just terrible. I think had that been a loved one of mine who died, it would matter that it was porn. Just makes it more disgusting.

It is disgusting regardless of what he was watching on the laptop. The
bottom line is that a woman died because of his negligence and stupidity.

[Janice]

It is disgusting regardless of what he was watching on the laptop. The
bottom line is that a woman died because of his negligence and stupidity.
Of course it's awful, no matter what he was watching. I'm saying, that for me personally, it would drive me insane if porn was part of the tragedy.

[catlover79]

^ I know what you mean. It makes it all the more disgusting and selfish. :mad:

[catlover79]

http://www.fox8.com/news/sns-ap-ny--trucker-porn,0,3004289.story

Truck driver guilty of manslaughter in NY crash; police say laptop was streaming porn
By Associated Press
1:04 PM EDT, May 25, 2010

BATAVIA, N.Y. (AP) — An Ohio truck driver whose laptop computer was streaming pornography when his rig hit a disabled car on the New York State Thruway has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for killing the other driver.

Authorities say Thomas Wallace of Brook Park, Ohio, had slept no more than four of the 27 hours before the Dec. 12 crash that killed Julie Stratton of Snyder. He pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on Tuesday.

Stratton hit a deer and her car was disabled in the passing lane shortly before Wallace's tractor-trailer ran into it from behind. The accident happened in Pembroke, about 20 miles east of Buffalo.

The 45-year-old trucker faces five to 15 years in prison when he's sentenced in Genesee County Court in September.

___

Information from The Buffalo News: www.buffalonews.com

[Marvo301]

5 - 15 years! That's all this lady's life is worth? Absolutely shameful! He should be going to jail for life! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Janice]

The wrong person died.

[catlover79]

5 - 15 years! That's all this lady's life is worth? Absolutely shameful! He should be going to jail for life! :mad: :mad: :mad:
Slap on the wrist. ohno:

[Marvo301]

Slap on the wrist. ohno:
And the court better take his driver's licensce away too!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: