According to authorities, a tractor-trailer driven by New York resident Saul A. Carrera, 60, crashed into a van pulled over on the side of Interstate 81 in Sullivan County, Tennessee, killing four people and severely injuring one of the five outside the van on March 26.
The Kingsport police said that the accident occurred when Carrera’s Peterbilt tractor-trailer veered off the road and sideswiped a Chevrolet Express van before hitting the five males who were working on repairing the tire.
According to the police, the tractor-trailer continued on the road for a short distance after the accident before jack-knifing and eventually overturning.
Per the police statement, the victims who died in the accident were identified as Jose Urbano Serrano Ramos, 25, of Crossville, Alabama; Jesse James Delacruz, 49, of Fayetteville, Tennessee; an unidentified male; and a 17-year-old male from Crossville.
First responders transported another 17-year-old male from Gadsden, Alabama, to the hospital in critical condition. His condition has since been updated to stable, according to the police.
No injuries were reported for three other men from Gadsden who had stayed in the van.
According to the police, based on the officers’ observations and evidence gathered at the scene, there was probable cause to believe that Carrera was operating the vehicle while under the influence of substances.
Carrera has been charged with four counts of vehicular homicide by intoxication along with charges of aggravated reckless assault, driving a commercial vehicle under the influence, felony reckless endangerment, and failure to exercise due care.
Carrera was also injured in the crash and taken to the hospital for treatment. He was later booked into Sullivan County Jail and appeared in court on April 4 for a preliminary hearing.
Two Kingsport police officers were called to testify and the video from the tractor-trailer’s dash cam was also played. The judge found probable cause and Carrera remains in jail until his next court appearance on June 9.
