The 23 year old driver who killed 7 motorcyclist when he crossed a double yellow line on a highway in New Hampshire was found to be high on drugs whenever the incident occurred.
The driver, Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, has since been charged with seven counts of negligent homicide.
Fox News Reports:
A Massachusetts truck driver who has been charged with negligent homicide in a June crash that killed seven motorcyclists in New Hampshire was on drugs and reaching for a beverage just before the tragedy, The Boston Globe reported Thursday.
The Globe, citing a report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said that Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 23, tested positive for an unspecified drug when his pickup truck crossed the yellow center line of U.S. Route 2 and hit the motorcyclists on the evening of June 21 in Randolph, N.H. Zhukovskyy also admitted to reaching for a drink just before the crash, but did not specify what kind of beverage.
Zhukovskyy, of West Springfield, Mass. has pleaded not guilty and remains behind bars. The seven victims were members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club, a New England group made up of Marines and their spouses.
Zhukovskyy and his lawyer have yet to comment on the matter.
Westfield Transport, the company that Zhukovskyy was driving for on the day of June 21 crash also has a troubled history.
According to an Associated Press analysis of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data, Westfield Transport Inc. faced over 60 violations over the last 24 months.
About one in five inspections of its vehicles ended with federal investigators issuing temporary orders saying the carrier was not authorized to operate. The company’s out-of-service rate is 20.8 percent — a figure nearly four times greater than the national average of 5.5 percent.
Federal records show the company has faced seven violations for unsafe driving, including speeding. The company also faced two violations in March 2018, reported in Massachusetts and Vermont, of drivers who were in possession of a narcotic drug or amphetamine.
Hopefully both the boy and the company responsible for having him on the road will be punished for this deadly crime. These are lives that were tragically taken away too soon. Let us please continue to pray for the deceased victims family and friends as they go through this difficult time. RIP
