About twenty cyclists were hit by a truck in a terrible accident near Las Vegas on Friday last week. Five of them didn’t survive the crash, amongst them was triathlete Tom Trauger. The driver of the box truck that plowed into the group, has now been charged with DUI (driving under influence) resulting in death. Officials declared methamphetamine was found in his system.
As the driver – by Nevada Highway Patrol identified as Jordan Alexander Barson – drove into a whole group of cyclists, he was charged with a total of five counts of DUI resulting in death, six counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm and a count of DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, according to the Review Journal.
“It’s extremely reckless. It’s callous. And look at the result, because of a choice he made”, is Clark Country District Attorney Steve Wolfson quoted in an interview with the Review Journal. “What it comes down to, like anything else, is making choices. When your choices, such as driving while intoxicated, affect other people’s lives that’s when it becomes very serious.”
If Barson were to be convicted he could face a sentence of over ten years. The man is currently still in custody. “When you look at the carnage that this man caused – losing one life is too many – but when five innocent people, who were out for a bike ride lose their lives, the consequences of this behavior are so severe that it’s hard to think about minimum sentences”, said Wolfson.
