Vladimir Zhukov, a 66-year-old truck driver from Illinois, was heading west on I-80 through Nebraska when his truck stalled. When he stopped to fix his truck around 4:30 am, it started a chain reaction of car accidents that killed five people.

Minnesota truck driver Keith Johnson, 27, crashed his semi-truck into Zhukov’s stalled truck. Johnson died in the tractor trailer accident; Zhukov did not sustain injuries.

The truck accident caused a backup for several miles. Failing to heed the warning signals, a third semi-truck driven by Josef Slezak crashed into a Ford Mustang, which pushed a Toyota Corolla underneath a fourth semi-truck. Both the Mustang and Corolla drivers died in the semi truck accident, along with two children in the Mustang. According to Nebraska Radio Network, the Corolla and Mustang drivers were married, and the Mustang driver was pregnant with her third child.

Police charged Slezak with four felony counts of manslaughter, four felony counts of vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving. If reports show that Slezak had drugs or alcohol in his system, it could lead to additional or modified charges.

We offer our sincere sympathies to the friends and family members of this tragic Nebraska truck accident. If you know someone who lost his or her life in a car accident, we can help you seek justice on his or her behalf. Call us today and we can set up a time to talk about the accident at no charge: (866) 377-3800.

Metier Law Firm, LLC – Denver accident attorneys