Leslie Howland
The driver of the 18-wheeler involved in last Tuesday’s accident, that left downtown Huntsville without power for several hours, is still not out of hot water.
Huntsville Police Officer David McGann was notified late last week that Hector Leunta, the driver of the 18-wheeler, neglected to properly register the truck and Sedita Trucking Inc., which discontinued its lease in August. At the time of the accident, Leunta used an expired insurance card and Texas Department of Transportation identification number.
After the accident, Huntsville Police Department called Texas Highway Patrol Trooper Terry Volger with the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Department to assist in the investigation process. Volger made a full inspection of the 18-wheeler and found 28 infractions. Only two out of the 10 brakes on the 18-wheeler were working properly.
He said normally if the truck stalled, the brakes would still be able to hold the weight of the vehicle. Trooper Volger said Leunta’s truck was an accident waiting to happen.
“The dollar damage was high, but we were fortunate no one was hurt,” McGann said. “It was the spirit of cooperation from the drivers that allowed everyone to get out of the way safely.”
McGann said the accident is still under investigation and more citations could be issued, pending completion of the investigation. He has advised all parties to initiate claims with their individual insurance companies to recover damage expenses.
