18-Wheeler Crosses Median, Kills 3
18-Wheeler Crosses Median, Kills 3 by Texas 18-Wheeler and Trucking Accident Attorney Justin A. Hill
Every year, Texas experiences a large number of dangerous, and potentially deadly, accidents involving large combination tractor-trailers. Nationally, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, truck-related highway fatalities totaled 4,229 in 2008. There are many reasons that tractor-trailers continue to be such a danger. A tractor-trailer accident, reported today in The Colorado County Citizen has claimed the life of three. According to The Colorado County Citizen:
Interstate 10 claimed three lives in a three-vehicle accident Wednesday evening. According to a report by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Jackie Haley, 64, of La Vernia was driving eastbound on I-10 in a 2006 Peterbilt tractor-trailer when he drove off the roadway into the center median at 7:15 p.m. The truck crossed the protective cable barrier into oncoming westbound lanes and struck a 2007 Toyota Landcruiser and a 1996 Chevrolet pickup truck. All three vehicles caught fire and burned. The driver of the pickup, Patrick Hrncir, 64 of Hallettsville; as well as the driver and passenger of the Toyota, Ross Wedelich, 16 and sister, Hayley Wedelich, 15, both of Rosharon were pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Pct. 3 Francis Truchard. The driver of the tractor-trailer was taken to Columbus Community Hospital with minor injuries where he was treated and released. The accident remains under investigation. DPS Trooper Stephen Pierce was assisted at the scene by DPS Sergeant Gary Chandler, Troopers Elizabeth Tolbert and David Sutton, DPS Corporal Orlando Moreno, Colorado County Sheriff?s Department, Colorado County EMS, Bernardo Volunteer Fire Department and the Columbus Volunteer Fire Department.
TheFacts.com reports:
Two Angleton High School students on their way to show a steer at the San Antonio Livestock Show were killed in a head-on crash with an 18-wheeler near Columbus on Wednesday. Junior Ross Wedelich, 16, and his sister, Hayley Wedelich, 15, a freshman, were traveling west on Interstate 10 near Columbus at about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday when the crash occurred, a Department of Public Safety spokesman said. Ross Wedelich was driving a 2007 Toyota with his sister a passenger when police said an eastbound 18-wheeler crossed the median and hit their car and a third vehicle, the spokesman said. All three vehicles caught fire and came to rest in the median between the westbound lane and feeder road. Ross Wedelich and Hayley Wedelich, both of Rosharon, were pronounced dead at the scene along with the driver of the third vehicle. The truck driver suffered minor injuries. Angleton ISD officials expressed deep sadness over the crash. The district called in counselors and administrators from other campuses as well as local church leaders to help students and staff members deal with the aftermath, according to a press release from spokeswoman Hanna Chalmers. “The death of any child is a sad and tragic event,” Angleton High School Principal Lisa Davis said in the release. “Counselors will be available all day and as long as needed for students and teachers who need to talk about the accident.” Davis said students who are extremely upset are being released to parents.
The Weekly Journal reports:
Angleton ISD is very sad to report that two Angleton High School students were tragically killed in an automobile accident last night. Junior Ross Wedelich and his sister freshman Hayley Wedelich were hit head on by an 18-wheeler at 7:15 p.m. on I-10. The brother and sister were traveling to San Antonio to show a steer at the San Antonio Livestock Show this morning. AISD and AHS students and staff have been severely impacted by the accident. The district has implemented its crisis response plan, which includes calling in other district counselors and administrators as well as local church leaders to help students and staff members deal with the aftermath. “The death of any child is a sad and tragic event,” AHS Principal Lisa Davis said. “Counselors will be available all day and as long as needed for students and teachers who need to talk about the accident.” Davis says that students who are extremely upset are being released to parents. “Children deal with death in different ways,” she said. “This is a heartbreaking tragedy, and we are doing our best to help everyone cope with the pain. It will take some time for us to heal from this. Right now, we send our deepest sympathy to the children’s family and friends.” The district has also sent letters home with high school and intermediate students. AISD urges parents to talk with their children about the situation and about ways to deal with death. “Children may have questions and concerns relating to the death, and they may need additional support at home as well as our continued support here at school,” Davis said. Parents can contact counselors at their children’s campuses if they need assistance or if they feel that their children are having difficulty and may benefit from additional support.
Update from TheFacts.com:
As students continued to mourn the death of two classmates Friday, Department of Public Safety investigators still were trying to determine how an 18-wheeler drove over median cables and hit two cars head-on. DPS Trooper Stephen Pierce said Friday the cause of the accident is not known, but the driver of the 18-wheeler voluntarily gave a blood sample. Alcohol is not suspected as a factor, Pierce said. “We’re just trying to rule everything out,” he said. Ross Wedelich, 16, was driving a 2007 Toyota west on Interstate 10, 8 miles east of Columbus, about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday when an eastbound 2006 Peterbilt 18-wheeler crossed the median and hit the Toyota head-on, police said. The 18-wheeler slammed into the Toyota and a 1999 Chevrolet driven west by Patrick Hrncir of Hallettsville. All three vehicles slid into the median between the interstate and westbound feeder lane and caught fire. Angleton High School students Ross Wedelich and his sister Hayley, 15, and Hrncir died at the scene. The siblings had been traveling to the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo, where Ross was showing a steer. Funeral arrangements for the Wedelichs are pending, a family member said Friday. The driver of the 18-wheeler, Jackie Lee Haley, had minor injuries. The portion of I-10 where the wreck occurred is divided by a three-wire cable system strong enough to prevent most vehicles from crossing the median into oncoming traffic. “It will grab you — your vehicle — and it will stretch,” DPS Sgt. Gary Chandler said. “In this instance, (Haley) went over it.” Weather conditions were listed as clear and the road was dry at the time of the accident, according to a DPS report. Chandler was at the scene Wednesday night and said the semi-truck hit the Wedelichs’ vehicle squarely. The two teens likely died on impact, though autopsies by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s office will make an official determination, Chandler said. Students at Angleton High School remained somber Friday, trying to cope with the loss of Ross and Hayley Wedelich, Principal Lisa Davis said. A handful of grieving students left school early Friday, she said. “We had several students still feeling the grief,” she said. “They had ties to every single student group on this campus.” When school officials arrived at the campus Friday morning, about 100 students had gathered in a gym to talk about Ross and Hayley Wedelich, she said. “They gathered together to share some stories” about them, Davis said. “There were some who had tears.” Counseling was available to all students Friday. The district brought counselors in from other districts, church leaders and administrators to speak with grieving students and staff, Angleton ISD spokeswoman Hanna Chalmers said. “It’s a shadow over the whole district,” she said. Student council members are continuing to take orders for T-shirts with Ross and Hayley’s names on the front and “Wedelich Way” on the back. The “Wedelich Way” means happy and full of life, friends said. The shirts will pay for a flower arrangement, a memorial to the two students, a scholarship in both students’ names plus whatever charities their family would like to give the money.
If someone you know was injured or killed as the result of an 18-wheeler accident, big rig accident or tractor-trailer accident, encourage them to immediately contact a competent attorney for advice. It is extremely important to do this quickly to ensure that evidence is preserved, statements are taken, and the rights of all claimants are protected.
It is heart wrenching to lose my cousin Pat Hrncir, and to hear of the two young people lost as well by head on collision with an 18 wheeler. I drive alongside 18 wheelers daily and have been cut off, been CLOSELY tailgated even when I am doing well beyond 65 mph, and have had numerous close calls — especially after dark when most of the commuters are gone. Does extreme fatigue play a factor? Do unrealistic driving deadlines also play a factor? Why don’t we go back to using trains for cross country shipping — it might take longer, but it would help lessen the number of these large vehicles on our highways.
Peggy-I am very sorry to hear about your loss of a family member. You are correct in your concerns. Sometimes extreme fatigue does play a factor in causing these accidents. Sometimes unrealistic deadlines cause or contribute to the cause of these accidents. Driver’s, sometimes poorly training, fatigued, and driving enormous vehicles, are provided incentives to deliver their loads on a specific schedule that may encourage speeding, breaking hours rules or other dangerous behavior. That is why it is so important to continue to hold these people accountable, drivers and their companies, for their actions that cause these terrible tragedies.
I’m so pissed off at the 18 wheeler driver. Come on, you’re 64 years old if you are that tried pull over on the shoulder…it’s not that hard!! Because of his choices he’s changed the lives of two families for ever. Ross and Hayley Wedelich were two kids who had just started their lives.
Ross and Hayley and their family and friends paid the price for his mistake!! The truck driver needs to be held accountable for his actions!! It won’t change what happened but maybe it will help the parents of Ross and Hayley sleep alittle bit better at night know his off the road.
RIP Ross and Hayley, 2/17/10 – Two of God’s Newest Angels
Pat was the father of a good friend of mine and a great guy. It’s so disturbing what damage carelessness can cause. My thought and prayers go out to the Wedelich family. It is tough to lose children.
Accidents happen, but some are a so big it’s hard to comprehend how it can be an accident.
I know theres, alot of anger and hurt for all the family and friends of the deceased Ross and Hayley were like my kids they were my son and daughters best friends, my daughter shelby was supposed to be with them on that trip to stock show, she begged to go but we told her no cause she didnt need to miss scho0l, they left my house after dropping shelby off. my daughter was on the phone with hayley when it happen,the last thing she heard was hayley call out her brothers name, and the phone went dead……Shelby lost her best friends that day and she lives with the guilt why not me??? Im not sure of all the details and the reason why this tragic accident happen. It is still under investigation, and yes we all are devistated, but i also do feel for the driver who caused it, This is something he will have to live with for the rest of his life!! Being angry is not going to bring any one back,, and believe me i know all the family and friends are morning the loss of every one. but we have to forgive!! Ross and Hayley were two of the sweetest kids you could ever meet there mom and dad lived for those kids showing cows,They let shelby show along side ross and hayley along with many other children, I know they lost thier two children but they gained all of thier kids friends. We have to pull together for the Wedelich’s.My heart hurts for them, Ross was always easy going,always a smile on his face. would do anything for any one, he had just started roping and was excited to be like all the others that he hung around. We the Frankies lost two very special people. Things just wont be the same with out you. We love and miss you dearly! My son texted you both!! That you will never be forgotten nor will you become a memory!! chance/shelby will see to it that we will embrace,ur love and personality into every day life!!!! God has two special angels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REST IN PEACE!! Chance,Shelby Frankie.
Ross and Hayley were two of my showmates, competitors, and most of all, friends. Ross had one of the most loving caring personalities that was unmistakeable. he would do anything for anybody at any time of day. Hayley was so outgoing. She got along with everybody. never a dull moment in her life. Im going to miss the two of them so much! Ill see you both on the other side.
My bf drives an 18 wheeler for a living, he pulls a cattle trailer just like the one jackie did. He knew Jackie very well, he was a resident in Laverna Texas, he hauled almost every night to california. He was know to do drugs. The guy that picked up his load that jackie was supposed to take said that jackie had blacked out and drove over the medin. After thinking about it for awhile and all the different stories i’ve heard of what has happened i honestly think drugs were a main factor in this wreck. You don’t just wreck a truck that bad, i am around and in these kinds of trucks all day, everyday. I honestly know it’s Jackies fault that these three innocent people died, and i really hope he gets severly punnished for this, but as i’ve read in almost all these comments everyones saying that truck drivers are the main cause of accidents, that’s not true, most cars and trucks cut off truck drivers, or stop in front of them and that’s the cause. My little brother was in the San Antonio rodeo this year, that’s where the 2 children were headed, and my little brother said there is all kinds of stuff up for those to children, Me and my bf don’t live very far at all from Halletsville, we go there every tuesday to pick up cattle from the Sale barn there, I feel so sorry for these poor families that have to go through this tragic experience, i can’t first handed say that i know how the pain is but i can second hand say i do. I pray for the families that lost there children and the family of the elderly man. I hope that this wreck opens everyone’s eyes to weekly and random drug testing of truck drivers, so maybe, hopefully we can prevent something this tragic from happening again.
jackie haley (18 wheeler driver) is basically still in shock from the accident
that caused 3 people’s death. he and his family are just as saddened by this
unfortunate accident and are also finding it hard to handle and cope with the
deaths. jackie was even wanting it to be him instead of those young people. before you go judging everyone, let it be known that jackie is a smoker and had a coughing attack that caused him to black out. yes, it has been clinically proven before that when you get that hacking cough that hard core smokers get, sometimes it causes you to blackout. please consider that jackie didn’t voluntarily want to cause this unfortunate incident…who would? let God be his judge and not us. especially when none of us knows exactly what happened. he is a God fearing man and has a God fearing wife and family and yes, he is up in age, but in this economy, everyone has to work past retirement age just to make ends meet. i am not trying to downplay this tragic occurrance, but please, just realize that jackie is in his own living hell right now.
I am in awe that this man was able to carry a CDL if he did drugs (if this statement is factual)! The pain this family and all of the kids’ friends are going thru is unbelievable. My son, Dalton, lost his girlfriend and dear friend. They had all been at my house before dropping Shelby off and to see the joy on all of their faces as they were cuttin up is what friendships are all about. Dalton had also been asked to go but was not allowed either because he had already missed several days of school from being sick. I hope drugs were not a factor but if they were I hope justice is served for the three innocent lives that were taken. I know this man will have to live the rest of his life with this on his heart and the guilt will be heavy punishment but all of those that Haley and Ross touched will have to suffer a broken heart. Mr. Frankie said “we need to forgive” and he is so correct forgiveness helps you keep from being angry and heals a broken heart. Please keep these families in your prayers (even the truck driver and his family) they will need all of them in the days, months and years ahead!
Truck drivers that pull cattle trailers are usually never drug tested, because they are not owned by a big company so it’s not mandatory, I can honestly say more than most cattle haulers have done or are doing drugs, they have to stay up for days on end, I know for a fact that Jackie was into drugs. So this statement is factual. They have already pursued 3 counts of manslaughter against Jackie. So hopefully he will be punished severely for this very sad misfortune.
Do you mean 3 counts for this wreck are you speaking of 3 counts for another wreck. How do you know they have already pursued it. Did the blood test come back positive?
i know for a fact that they have not pursued 3 counts of manslaughter, because they have not received the blood test back yet. please don’t convict this man without knowing all the facts. he is a chronic smoker and blacked out
when he had a coughing attack.
Ya but,still he killed 2 of my friends,and it is very hard to deal with thatm only if you knew
I cant beilieve they are actually gone…this is going to be the hardest school year to finish, i still cant stop crying at night beacus i think of ross and how much fun we would have and i only knew hayley a little but everytime i saw her it was with a smile. i couldnt think of two people better suited for angels. we love and miss yall both!
I am feeling for the parents of Haley and Ross Wedelich my heart aches for you. I and many others are praying none stop for you, and i just pray that in times like this we have the strength to carry on. I hope everything will be ok. I will miss both of them so much.
My Friend Jaci Malovets is very sad and she was a cousion of Ross and Haley.It is very heartbreaking to lose someone you are so close to.I know i would be heartbroken if i lost someone i was close to.I am sending a prayer right now.”Dear God,I hope Ross & Haley Wedelich are safe in your hands,and i hope the family and friends will send a prayer every time they think of them.I hope they carry on with love for them.they are safe in heaven.”A men.Even though i didn’t really know them i still miss them with all my heart.
Hayley and Ross’s death was a tragedy, but like mr. richard told me and my friends, all we can do is try and pull some good out of it and try and live our lives the way hayley and ross did, and for anyone who knew them like we did then you know exactly what i mean, they were always good to others, Ross liked to mess with people, but all in good fun, and hayley always had a smile, Ross the Boss i know your ropin calves up there in heaven and i cant wait to ride in that arena with you, and hayley we all miss you more than you could ever know and i really hope they have a mcdonalds up there for you, i guess ill never find out how you stayed so skinny
Hayley and Ross were good frienmds of our school. They made a big impact on our school. Lets start with Ross, he was my best friend of all times.
If you needed him he was there he allways had a smile on his face. he allways was kidding around. We had so many memories together it was the best times of my life.
Hayley, even though i didnt know her she was sweet and happy all the time. She would be there for you if u need help or was down at any time.
i love you both R.I.P.
Because of a careless mistake a man made,made 3 people loose their life 3 months ago,which 2 of them being my friend.It’s really hard to loose a friend when your in jr high or high school becasuse you get soo used to them being there for you or talking to them daily.Sometimes we dont know how to react to it because it happens soo fast.We may not think that life cant go on, it really cant with out them,but like Ross and Hayleys father said is for us to live our life like Ross and Hayley did and that is all we can do.
It sickens me that this terrible tragedy is being exploited by scum-sucking trial attorneys in an effort to make money.
Ms. McDonald,
I am sorry that you have been sickened by “scum-sucking trial attorneys.” I am not exactly sure what you mean by “scum-sucking trial attorneys.” However, I think it is important to note that trial attorneys, on a daily basis, stand up for those who otherwise would not have access to the courts–a fundamental principle of our government. Trial attorneys and courageous clients have helped bring about some of the most important consumer product and consumer safety advances of the last 50 years. Trial lawyers and courageous clients have fought corporations and wrong-doers when regulations has failed to protect the average citizen. Trial attorneys hold those responsible for causing serious life changing events like the one discussed in this article. Trial attorneys fight to ensure that trucking companies do not allow truckers to drive too long, while tired, at excessive speeds, or in other unsafe manners. Trial attorneys fight to hold those who seek to “exploit” the laws and lax regulations responsible when their negligence causes the death of three innocent people. Trial attorneys, in no way, contributed to or caused the terrible tragedy discussed above.
I do not believe in censorship on this site. I encourage you to express your opinions. But, next time you drive a vehicle, take a prescription drug, or drink the water from your sink, just remember that trial attorneys are fighting to make that car more crashworthy, that drug safer and that water cleaner.
JH