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Trucker Who Killed 7 in NH Crash was Distracted & On Drugs, Investigators Say

In June 2019, New Hampshire was harrowed by news of a horrific motorcycle accident that claimed the lives of seven motorcyclists. Volodymyr Zhukovskyy of West Springfield, Massachusetts is said to have collided head-on with a group of Jarheads Motorcycle Club riders after he strayed into oncoming traffic, resulting in the fatal crash. According to Zhukovskyy’s own statements, he was reaching for a drink in his pickup truck when he inadvertently swerved into the motorcycles.

Now, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) investigators are saying there is more to story. According to toxicology lab results, Zhukovskyy was significantly impaired by an unspecified narcotic at the time of the crash. Other reports also stated the vehicle itself was experiencing a number of defects.

Investigators are also saying Zhukovskyy has a history of dangerous driving habits. In particular, he had been arrested for drunk driving just about one month before the deadly multivehicle accident in June. The 23-year-old’s driving record does not stop there, though. He also reportedly has had drunk or reckless driving arrests or incidents in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Texas, where he crashed a tractor-trailer.

Furthermore, Westfield Transport Inc., the company employing Zhukovskyy and for whom he was driving the day of the fatal accident, has been cited for federal violations in just two years. Most of its violations regard vehicles unfit for carrier service, but seven cite the unsafe driving of its employees. Another two citations from about a year ago note that company drivers were impaired by narcotics while behind the wheel. The company has apparently shuttered after the fatal motorcycle collision.

For more information about this developing story, you can click here to view a full article from the New York Post. To learn about filing a catastrophic injury or wrongful death claim after a violent accident, you can get in contact with Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. Our law firm has offices all throughout New England, including Concord, Manchester, Nashua, and more.