What a tragedy! Here is the story from the link: July 01, 2008
By Dan Nolan
The Hamilton Spectator
Virginia State Police have determined a fatal crash that took the lives of three members of a Hamilton family was caused by their overweight trailer.
William Smith, 33, his wife Sandra, 35, and their daughter Kaylee, 7, were killed last Thursday night on I-77 when their vehicle and trailer went out of control and struck a oncoming tractor-trailer in the northbound lanes. Two other children, Madison, 9, and Genna, 3, are in stable condition at the Wake Forest University Baptist Centre in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and might be released into the custody of their grandparents as early as today.
“It’s been determined the weight of the trailer did cause the crash,” State Trooper O.J. Lilly said last night, adding it was a “terrible and tragic” accident. “It was fully loaded with all camping gear and bikes and everything you would haul. The camper was longer and heavier than the vehicle it was being hauled by.”
Smith, an HSR bus driver, and Sandra, who worked in the accounting department of Turkstra Lumber, were driving a 2005 Dodge Durango and it was pulling a 35-foot trailer that was built in 2004. The family, who had left their east Hamilton Mountain home Thursday morning, were on their way to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with two other Ontario families. The accident occurred about 5.6 kilometres from a camp site where the three families were planning to spend the night.
Lilly said investigators have determined the vehicle and trailer were travelling down a four to five per cent incline on the Wythe County highway that stretches for about a mile.
“There was the down hill incline and in combination with the weight and the down hill . . . he hit the brake and the trailer started swaying on him. Once it lost control, it went into the median strip and then into the northbound lanes. Once the trailer started swaying . . . the further out of control it got and he just couldn’t hang on to it.”
Lilly said he spoke to the grandfather, John Poulton, and was told the two surviving girls may be released from the hospital today. Poulton and his wife Jane moved to Florida after retiring and travelled to Winston Salem after being contacted by police.
Lilly said the two other couples were “mentally in shock” after the crash, but assisted police with the two girls who were injured. They stayed with the girls at the local community hospital and then at the hospital in Winston Salem until the grandparents arrived.
Lilly said the Smith’s trailer weighed about 8,000 pounds when empty.
"Once you start throwing in bikes, camping gear and portable water tanks and sewage tanks, and propane tanks, that makes it heavier.” he said.
“This is something that happens, not everyday, but it happens from time to time,” he said. “It happens a lot especially during the summer months.”
Meanwhile, a trust fund has been set up by friends and family to help the Smith family pay for ongoing expenses such as medical bills, transportation, funeral costs and the long-term needs of Madison and Genna. The Smith Family Trust Fund has been set up at Hamilton Community Credit Union which has branches at 698 King Street East and Mohawk Road. The account number is 3196800, Branch No. 828, Transit No. 21152.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
dnolan@thespec.com
905-526-3351
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It's a story that makes me want to be sick. 3 lives wasted, 2 children left without parents and a sibling, grandparents now raising grandchildren not to mention the poor guy who was driving the tractor trailer. He'll have to live with this for the rest of his life.
The latest report I read said the guy was trying to pass the rest of his convoy to get in front and lead the way into the campground. Excessive speed, overloaded truck, tired driver and a 4 or 5% grade. When you do the math it equals tragedy. Totally avoidable. Senseless and sad beyond words.
Hopefully this will serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they can second-guess manufacturer weight ratings or max out a vehicle and hope for the best.
I just can't imagine something like this happening to my family. And God-willing I'll have common-sense enough to do everything in my power to prevent it.
Me (69), DW (69), DD (95), DS (00), DS (01) and 1 camping toy fox terrier (08)
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OMG!! This is tragic. My heart and prayers go out to the little ones left behind. Even though this can happen to properly set up rigs, this seems to have happened due to the trailer being too much for the TV. Let's be safe out there people. What an unfortunate event.
* This post was
edited 07/04/08 11:58am by camsa5 *
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