Tanker Truck and SUV Collide on 105; Both Drivers Killed
A tanker truck and an SUV crashed on the 105 Freeway near Hawthorne in late August, killing the drivers of both vehicles. Neither was identified in early news reports.
Crashes Causes Inferno, Closing Freeway for Hours
The tanker collision caused an inferno of flames that shut down traffic in both directions for several hours. The accident occurred near Prairie Avenue in the early morning, at 5:13 a.m. The eastbound lane of 105 was opened at 8 a.m. and the westbound lane at roughly 7 a.m.
Investigation of the causes of the crash was still ongoing, but witnesses told news reporters that they had seen the SUV, a silver Land Rover, weaving in and out of traffic erratically and aggressively.
One witness told KABC that the SUV had jumped and appeared out of control due to a leftward swerve the driver made and hit the divider. The witness also said that the tanker became detached from the truck and that the truck made a scissor.
Many on Way to Airport
The crash site is roughly 3 miles from Los Angeles International Airport. Many in vehicles on the freeway in the earning morning were driving to the airport. In fact, some travelers attempted to catch their flights by abandoning their vehicles and walking to the airport, hauling themselves and their luggage over a fence.
One of the stuck vehicles was a food truck owned by AC Catering. Workers in the truck opened it on the freeway and sold food at half-price to other stranded passengers.
Firefighters let the blaze burn itself out.
Officials at CalTrans indicated that freeways’ integrity had been inspected, and that the crash caused only minor surface damage.
Determining Negligence in a Truck Accident
Because the investigation is ongoing, it’s not possible to speculate on the causes of this crash. However, it is possible to give a general overview of negligence in truck accidents.
Legal cases involving trucks can be complex, because drivers, subcontractors responsible for loading and maintaining the truck and more, and owners can all be at fault. In addition, of course, just because a truck was involved in an accident doesn’t mean that the fault has anything to do with the trucks. Trucks can crash and burn due to the actions of other drivers or road conditions.
For any party involved to be deemed negligent, they need to have known that conditions were unsafe, had responsibility for the safety, and failed to take action that would have made the conditions safe.
Drivers of all vehicles may be negligent for a crash if they fail to obey the laws and rules of the road.
Call a Southern California Truck Accident Attorney
The award-winning attorneys at Ellis Law Corporation have been litigating and investigating truck accidents for more than two decades. Please call 310-641-3335 today for a complimentary consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer in Los Angeles. Learn about your legal options for monetary compensation.
Additional Resources:
- Cota-Robles, Marc, Rob Hayes, and ABC7.com Staff. “2 killed in fiery tanker crash on 105 Freeway in Hawthorne.” KABC. August 24, 2018. https://abc7.com/traffic/2-killed-in-fiery-tanker-crash-on-105-freeway-in-hawthorne/4042389/
- Cota-Robles, Marc and ABC7.com Staff. “Food truck feeds commuters stuck in 105 Fwy gridlock traffic following fatal tanker crash in Hawthorne.” KABC. August 24, 2018. https://abc7.com/traffic/food-truck-feeds-drivers-on-105-amid-gridlock-traffic-after-fiery-crash/4042639/