The Nationwide Transportation Security Board is scheduled to satisfy Tuesday to find out the reason for an accident final yr that severely injured comic Tracy Morgan and killed one other comic after a truck smashed into their limousine throughout a visitors backup on the New Jersey Turnpike.
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The chauffeured limo van by which Morgan and different comedians and buddies have been driving was pushed into slow-moving visitors forward. He had worked for Wal-Mart for 15 weeks and had had nine “critical event reports”. A sheet of plywood that had been added to the limo to separate the cab from passengers blocked occupants from escaping the vehicle through the front doors after the crash.
It took more than 40 minutes for emergency responders and bystanders to extricate Morgan and some of the other six people who were trapped inside the overturned limousine van, NTSB officials said.
The NTSB also found issues with poor emergency response, which prompted a delay in taking victims to a local hospital. NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt said a cosmetologist in New Jersey has to have more training than an emergency worker.
In addition, the first medical responders at the scene were overwhelmed and there was miscommunication and a delay in dispatching additional trained personnel to the scene.
Though Walmart provided fatigue information during its driver training, it was not required to have a fatigue management program, the NTSB said.
Comedian James “Jimmy Mack” McNair was killed, and Morgan suffered head trauma, a broken leg and broken ribs. The “Saturday Night Live” star has not performed since the accident. An individual could be charged with assault by auto if she or he causes damage after knowingly working a vehicle after being awake for greater than 24 hours underneath New Jersey regulation.
The crash has similarities with other truck accidents and raises safety concerns about how these large vehicles are operated in work zones, according to the NTSB.
In Might, Morgan and two associates injured within the crash settled a lawsuit towards Wal-Mart for an undisclosed quantity. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company settled a wrongful death claim filed by McNair’s children for $10 million, according to court papers.
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As Deadline reports, Morgan’s public appearances raise hope that he may soon be ready to takeover the lead of his FXX comedy series.
