Maryland truck-bus accident near Rockville Street injures 4

The Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a 33-year-old driver in a garbage truck crossed the center line on Route 36 near Rockville Street around 7:20 a.m. last Thursday and struck a transit bus, injuring the driver and two passengers onboard the bus. The driver of the Peterbilt truck, owned by Western Maryland Waste Systems, was also injured in the truck accident.

One of the passengers on the bus was airlifted to the local hospital by a Maryland State Police medevac helicopter, while the truck driver, 70-year-old bus driver and a 22-year-old passenger were taken to the hospital via ambulance for treatment of undisclosed injuries. When the truck crossed over the double yellow lines it veered into the path of the transit bus. When the truck collided with the bus it ripped open the bus on the driver’s side.

Although the amount of damage to the garbage truck was not immediately known, it was towed from the scene of the accident. The truck accident shut down the highway for more than three hours as it apparently caused an electrical outage in the area. Responders included personnel from the county sheriff’s office, the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Maryland State Highway Administration, area fire departments and local ambulances.

Although the accident is still under investigation, it would appear the truck driver may have acted negligently when he crossed the center line and swerved into oncoming traffic. The victims injured in the accident will no doubt follow the accident investigation closely as they attempt to recover from their injuries. In view of the seemingly reckless driving by the truck driver, both the truck driver and the company who owned the truck could be held liable for damages suffered by those injured in the crash.

Source: Cumberland Times-News, “UPDATE: 4 injured in bus-truck accident,” June 28, 2012