MIDLAND, TX (04/01/2016) — A fatal 18-wheeler accident claimed the life of Edward Pittinger and injured his wife, Karen Pittinger, on Friday afternoon.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), 58-year-old Edward James Pittinger was killed in a wrong way car accident that occurred along State Highway 158 in Midland, Texas.
The DPS reported that 49-year-old Librado Mares-Ochoa was traveling westbound in a Kenworth semi-trailer when he entered the eastbound lanes and struck Pittinger’s Mercedes GL 450.
Pittinger lost his life in the wreckage. His passenger and wife, 61-year-old Karen Sue Pittinger, suffered non-incapacitating injuries and was transported to Midland Memorial Hospital for treatment.
DPS Troopers stated that road conditions were wet and it was actively raining at the time of the crash.
Commentary
Weather related accidents account for 24% of all accidents, and the rainy conditions at the time of this crash may have been a contributing factor. Although the victims of this accident probably couldn’t do much to avoid this collision, we can talk about the responsibility of the driver of the semi-trailer. Drivers of these large vehicles need to take extra care, especially during undesirable conditions, since losing control of an 18-wheeler can happen in an instant. The driver who caused this accident could potentially face charges for this fatal truck accident, depending upon the results of the investigation.
